Mallika Sherawat facing flak for her Instagram photos reeks of ageism and hypocrisy

Remember when social media was swooning over pictures of a 50-something Milind Soman and more recently the just-after-shower look of R Madhavan? Those pictures just proved the fact that age is just a number. But this appreciation seems to be limited only to men because we, as a country, have proven repeatedly that we cannot admire women who age. Not at least with the same gusto as for a Soman or Madhavan. Recently, when Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat posted a picture of her on Instagram, people (regardless of their gender) started calling her names, made fun of her, and said some harsh statements. Sherawat became a star overnight after the release of the 2004 film Murder, co-starring Emraan Hashmi and Ashmit Patel. Though the film could not help steer Patel’s career, Hashmi and Sherawat became poster idols of sexuality. At the time noone seemed to have had an issue with her posing sensually; it was, in fact, quite celebrated. We must give credit to Sherawat, because she opened up paths for female actors to step up and take the less beaten path — to be unabashedly sexual. She was, in every way, a modern, rebellious woman who made heads turn wherever she went. Let’s not forget her stint at the Cannes Film Festival along with Jackie Chan. But then, after all these years, when she, like any of us, takes to social media and posts a picture, comments filled with vitriol is what she gets in return:  Smell hypocrisy? If yes, then I am relieved, at least a little bit.