Maheep Kapoor believes growing older should be celebrated, not criticised. However, stepping into the limelight with Netflix’s reality series ‘Fabulous Lives Of Bollywood Wives’ at the age of 48 exposed her to relentless online judgment. The reality star recently opened up about the challenges of making her digital debut in her late 40s, admitting that the trolling and constant scrutiny took her by surprise.Speaking on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast, Maheep shared how entering showbiz at a stage when many women battle insecurities made the experience emotionally overwhelming.
Maheep Kapoor says fame arrived at an unexpected stage of life
Unlike many celebrities who find fame early in their careers, Maheep said her breakthrough came much later. Looking back, she admitted that she often wondered how different things would have been had the opportunity come earlier.When asked if she feels pressure to stay young, Maheep replied in the affirmative before explaining, “Bollywood Wives happened to me when I was 48. It is a very insecure time for a woman. We are ageing, pre-menopause. And when Karan told me, I was like, ‘Couldn’t you have come a bit earlier?’ Then, on top of this, suddenly you are scrutinised, you get those trolls and have people pointing out your flaws.”The reality star revealed that adjusting to public attention wasn’t easy, especially when criticism about her appearance flooded social media. While harsh comments initially affected her, she eventually learned to deal with them differently.“I was bombarded with that and all I wanted to say was, ‘Screw you.'” What surprised her the most, she said, was that many of the critical remarks came from women. “What surprised me was that there were a lot of women among the trolls as well. Now I realise it stems from a lot of insecurity.”Maheep believes ageing should be embraced instead of feared. “It’s a privilege to get older. Women should be proud of it, own it and flaunt it.” She also admitted that the experience of appearing on ‘Fabulous Lives Of Bollywood Wives’ made her emotionally stronger.“After Bollywood Wives, I became a little more ruthless. I was out there in middle age, not in my 20s, when I was very hot. To put yourself out there in your late 40s isn’t easy. And yes, we have this problem that women can’t age.”
Why Maheep feels ageing is viewed differently for men and women
During the conversation, Maheep pointed out what she believes is a clear double standard in the entertainment industry. According to her, men are often celebrated for ageing naturally, while women continue to face unrealistic beauty standards.Using George Clooney and David Beckham as examples, she noted that grey hair and wrinkles are frequently described as attractive on men, whereas women are rarely granted the same acceptance as they grow older.
The reality show that made her a household name
Although she had long been known as actor Sanjay Kapoor’s wife and the mother of Shanaya Kapoor, Maheep became a familiar face across the country after appearing in ‘Fabulous Lives Of Bollywood Wives’ alongside Seema Sajdeh, Neelam Kothari and Bhavana Pandey.The Netflix reality series premiered in 2020 and quickly gained popularity for offering an inside look into the personal and professional lives of its cast. Its third season expanded the format with a “Mumbai vs Delhi” theme, introducing Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Shalini Passi and Kalyani Saha Chawla, while Maheep remained one of the show’s central personalities.
