Filmmakers today want 'little chicklets': Poonam Dhillon

Yesteryear actress Poonam Dhillon here today said there is not much scope for senior actresses in the film industry today as filmmakers want to cast "little chicklets".
"Our industry is lacking the need to have matured women. They (filmmakers) need little chicklets," said the actress, who was in the city to attend Women Economic Forum.
Dhillon, 53, said the mature actresses can express emotions better but filmmakers today mostly want to cast the young actresses.
"As you grow older, you mature and have more emotions to express. The roles which I did when I was 17 or 18 (years), I had no emotions. I have done scenes of delivering baby, where I did not know what it was," the 'Sohni-Mahiwal' actress said.

She, however, acknowledged that the nearly three- decade old phase where a lot of women-oriented films were produced, is returning and things have changed dramatically since she joined the industry.
"Earlier women were supposed to be pretty-looking people around. Their opinions were not even asked for. But, today the film industry, especially television, is ruled by women. We have seen women being respected in every part of media," she said.

The actress also raised the issue of low wages paid to female actors as compared to their male counterparts.
"But, despite all this reality, women are still paid less compared to men," Dhillon added.

Censor Board member Ashoke Pandit, fashion journalists Shefalee Vasudev, Geeta Rao, and President of Whistling Woods International (Mukta Arts) Meghna Ghai Puri were other among guests who attended the programme.