Kajol recently engaged in a pointed discussion with Aamir Khan and Salman Khan regarding the prevalent Bollywood trend of older male actors romancing younger heroines. The conversation took place on the premiere episode of "Two Much With Kajol & Twinkle," a chat show hosted by Kajol and Twinkle Khanna on Amazon Prime Video.

Kajol didn't shy away from directly addressing the issue, questioning the double standards in the industry. She stated, "When the hero romances a younger woman, it's called 'cinema magic'. But when an older heroine romances a younger man, it's called 'bold'. Why do you think that is?". This query highlighted the disparity in how age-gap romances are perceived based on the gender of the lead actors.

Aamir Khan responded by suggesting that casting should be based on the requirements of the story. He referenced his film "Dil Chahta Hai," where a younger Akshaye Khanna was cast opposite Dimple Kapadia, who is older than him. However, Twinkle Khanna countered this by pointing out that Aamir has frequently starred opposite younger heroines, such as Kareena Kapoor, and questioned whether they looked the same age. Salman Khan jokingly interjected, claiming that he and Kareena looked the same age instead.

Salman Khan offered a more elaborate explanation, suggesting that the preference for younger heroines is driven by a desire for "freshness" on screen. He stated that after actors have worked together extensively, they may appear as an "old pair," leading filmmakers to seek out new pairings. He also noted that there are not many scripts that feature older women with younger men. He argued that if a film with such a story were well-made, audiences would be receptive.

Kajol, however, remained unconvinced, reiterating that this justification doesn't explain why the reverse scenario is so rare. She implied that Aamir and Salman were avoiding the central issue.

The discussion also touched upon the roles available to actresses as they age, with Twinkle Khanna observing that women in their 40s and 50s are often relegated to motherly roles. Salman Khan countered that actresses like Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit could have continued playing romantic leads, but that those pairings would now seem dated.

The exchange highlights the ongoing debate about ageism and gender inequality in Bollywood, where older male actors are often paired with much younger actresses, while older actresses face limited opportunities for similar roles.