Rimi Sen on quitting Bollywood: “Aaj bhi Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan raj karte hain, women ka timeline chhota hota hai”

Rimi Sen on quitting Bollywood: “Aaj bhi Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan raj karte hain, women ka timeline chhota hota hai”

• Rimi Sen left Bollywood due to limited career longevity for women actors
• She now works in real estate in Dubai, seeking financial security and freedom
• Her comments highlight gender imbalance and power dynamics in Bollywood

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Rimi Sen, who became a familiar face in early-2000s Hindi cinema with films like Hungama, Dhoom, Golmaal, Phir Hera Pheri and Johnny Gaddar, has opened up about why she chose to step away from Bollywood. Now based in Dubai and working in real estate, the actor says her exit from the film industry was a conscious, practical decision shaped by how the system treats women over time.

Speaking on Buildcaps Real Estate LLC’s podcast, Rimi reflected on the limited career longevity for female actors in a male-dominated industry. According to her, the power structure in Bollywood has barely shifted over the decades, with male stars continuing to dominate the space well into their later years.

“I feel like the career timeline in the film industry isn’t long, especially for women,” Rimi said. “The men tend to rule it, because it’s a male-dominated industry. Aaj bhi Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan raj karte hain wahan pe itne saalon se. It has been around 25–30 years.”

She pointed out how the imbalance becomes clearer with time. “The same heroines who worked with them are now supporting cast, or playing their mothers,” she added, highlighting how female actors are often pushed to the margins as they age, while their male co-stars continue to headline films.

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Rimi explained that she had anticipated this reality early in her career and planned accordingly. “So I had planned beforehand to work in the industry, do events and films, make as much money as possible, and then venture into production,” she said. For her, the idea was never to cling to stardom indefinitely, but to use her years in cinema as a stepping stone toward financial independence.

After gradually moving away from acting, Rimi produced Budhia Singh: Born to Run in 2016, a film that went on to win a National Award. However, she soon shifted her focus entirely to business. “I am safer now. I don’t have the pressure of being in front of a camera or wasting time,” she said. “At the end of the day, you want financial security and freedom.”

Rimi was last seen on screen in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s action drama Shagird in 2011. While she no longer pursues acting, her recent comments have reignited conversations around gender, longevity, and power dynamics in Bollywood. Her journey, from mainstream cinema to real estate in Dubai, reflects a choice rooted less in nostalgia and more in long-term stability.