AGE DISPARITY IN ROMANCE

The hidden challenges and unexpected joys.

- Samriti Dhatwalia

Imagine yourself sitting at a dinner party with friends and chatting about relationships. In between the conversation somebody comments on the recent split of Ananya Pandey-Aditya Roy Kapur and how that relationship was meant to end because of the 13 year age gap. Or maybe the $30,000 financial exchange between Al Pacino, 84 and Noor Alfallah, 31, after their breakup in 2023 for child support. Age gaps in relationships have always been a topic of fascination and debate, often eliciting strong reactions from society. While some view these partnerships as unconventional or problematic, others celebrate them as an expression of love that transcends societal norms.

Age-gap relationships are defined as partnerships where there is a significant difference in the ages of the partners, typically considered to be ten years or more. Research indicates that nearly 39 per cent of people across the world are engaged in such relationships. Interestingly, men are more likely to date younger partners, while women often date older partners.

For instance, 25 per cent of men reported dating someone 10+ years younger, compared to only 14 per cent of women who dated someone that much younger. The Indian Law also tells us that the minimum age for a woman to get married is 18 and for a man it is 21. Thus, in Urban India a three year gap is considered a good enough gap between partners. However, this traditional pattern is only for a man, where he is older than his female counterpart and not the other way round.