Mumbai: Bollywood fans are excited as Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna are likely to star in not one but two movies together! Their first film, Sikandar, is already making headlines and it is confirmed, and now they have reportedly signed another film with Jawan director Atlee Kumar. But one thing people can’t stop talking about is their huge age gap.
Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna age
Salman Khan is 59 years old, while Rashmika Mandanna is just 28. This 30-year difference has made many fans uncomfortable. After the Sikandar teaser came out, people started commenting on their awkward chemistry. Some even called it cringeworthy. The debate which started when the movie was announced, has now crawled back again post teaser release with Reddit users actively talking about it.
Big Age Gaps in Bollywood and South Cinema
This isn’t new in Bollywood. Salman has been paired with much younger actresses before:
• In Wanted (2009), he was 44, while Ayesha Takia was 23 (21-year gap).
• In Dabangg (2010), he was 45, while Sonakshi Sinha was 23 (22-year gap).
South Indian cinema follows the same trend. Actor Ravi Teja, in his late 50s, has acted with young heroines like Sreeleela and Bhagyashri Borse. However, some of these movies became hits because of fun and engaging storytelling.
Will Sikandar Work?
The success of Sikandar depends on director AR Murugadoss. If he creates interesting and real moments between Salman and Rashmika, the audience may forget about the age gap. But right now, their chemistry in the teaser looks dull.
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