Age Is No Barrier When You Fall In Love

Kabir Bedi has been trending on Twitter and other social media sites following his marriage with 42-year-old Parveen Dusanjh. The 70-year-old actor and Parveen have been long time partners. But it took Kabir a decade to convince the UK-based social researcher’s family that she is the love of his life. Reason - the veteran actor is 28 years older than Parveen. This concept of an older person marrying a much younger member of the opposite sex has always had its noticeable share of takers.

Kabir’s marriage proves that May-December relationships between older men/women and much younger women/men are not simply a fabrication of a director’s head (remember Nishabd or Cheeni Kum?).  Reel life really reflects reality and May-December relationships have been common all through our history. There are many such acclaimed couples leading happy married lives, the age difference notwithstanding. Michael Douglas, 71, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, 46, cemented their marriage in 2000 and are still going strong. Sitar maestro Ravi Shankar and Sukanya have had three decades between them while Sanjay Dutt is 19 years elder to Manyata.

The phrase ‘May-December romance’ comes from the younger person being in the “spring” of his or her life (i.e., blooming May), while the older partner is in his or her “winter” (i.e., withering December). It connotes a romantic pairing where one person is notably older than the other. The age difference is a minimum of a decade, and often more. 

Critics believe that older men have a lusty mind, and younger women think only in monetary terms in such relationships. But couples in such relationships feel that these are misconceptions that need to be shagged out. Women in such relationships debate that older men look for warmth and compassion rather than any carnal desires for a younger woman. And younger women, in return, lay emphasis on experience, safety, magnetism and sense of humor rather than being mere gold-diggers.

Younger men are generally attracted to older females not only because of good looks, but mainly because of power (when they are working together) and behavior. Many a times, a female searches for a father-figure in her spouse. She is in need for someone who can deal with her softly and take care of her. That’s why women fall for elder men time and again.

“Parveen has been a great partner for me, in love and life, and we plan to do great things together,” says Kabir in a statement. Age is secondary. Maturity has very less to do with age. Basically, it’s compatibility that counts, what’s your opinion?