The Bond mania is back after the suave spy’s next adventure was announced recently. While fans of the iconic franchise are thrilled to see the return of 46-year-old Daniel Craig as 007, a goddess-like Italian bombshell, fluent in three languages, who nearly became a lawyer, Monica Bellucci instantly became the talking point — for being the oldest Bond girl at 50.
Honor Blackman, who was 39 when she played Pussy Galore in Goldfinger, previously held the title. Monica had auditioned to be in a Bond film before, but lost out to Teri Hatcher in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. Nearly 20 years later her Bond girl moment has arrived, and it is also a hooray moment for beautiful and stunning women who are mature in years but in no way over the proverbial hill.
In an interview in 2009 Monica had said, “I am much happier now than when I was younger. You have to discover who you are, who you are going to be, there are so many insecurities. Today, I know the things that I need, the things that I can live without.”Actress Shehnaz Treasurywala who works in the US and India, agrees and shares, “I don’t think women need to apologise for their ‘age’. In fact Monica Bellucci is sexier and more confident as a leading lady now than when she started working in the industry.
It’s saddening how people perceive that after 30 a girl’s career is over because she becomes unattractive whereas men become sexier with age. As a woman, we should never apologise for our age and this rule applies to all fields. Imagine if a journalist was told to lay off after the age of 30. Wouldn’t they argue that they have become a better journalist, a great writer and presenter, as they grew older? One becomes a better actor with years of experience. We look better, have grown smarter and are definitely better actresses now than when we were in our 20s. There has to be equality between men and women.”
Director and producer Pooja Bhatt is surprised at the focus being pinned on the age of the new Bond girl.“We have had men in their 50s romancing girls half their age. Take the three Khans. I mean how old are Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir? And how old is Mr Bachchan?” she asks.“I think Monica can still give competition to any and many 20-year-old actresses,” says Devraj Singh, a movie buff. He adds, “I don’t understand people’s obsession with a female lead character’s age when nobody is discussing 007’s age. It is offensive to reduce a person to his/her age.”
