When the nature of the job, commitment to it and the amount of work invested towards it are the same, why would there be a difference in pay scales That is the question Bollywood and even Hollywood actresses have been asking for a long time. Whether it’s in India or the West, male actors are paid considerably more than their female counterparts. Tipping the scales differently for possibly the first time, is Kangana Ranaut. The actress is being paid more than her male colleagues Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan for Rangoon. While we hear that Kangana is getting a whopping Rs 10 crore for playing Fearless Nadia, Saif and Shahid taking home approximately Rs 6 and Rs 5 crore each. The development has brought to light the skewed pay scales and how this may be a game changer for women in entertainment. Here’s what actresses have expressed on the issue in the past:
“If you compare our pay scale with the men, then yes it is very less. But if you compare what girls used to get before and what they get now — in the last one or two years — then I can say that there has been a major shift and we are hoping and trying. But this is not a war. Deepika Padukone
“There is a huge gap between the remuneration of a male actor and a female actor and it will take time (to reduce the gap). They may not be paid directly every time, but male actors get into production and share profits, thereby taking home more money. (Justifying her pay) The kind of films and roles that I do takes a whole year, so I think it is justified. At some point, we have to come to that place where we are equally paid. It is a small step, but in the right direction.” Kangana Ranaut
“Equal pay won’t happen right now. Equality on so many levels is something we all fight for globally, not just in India. Even in business, there is a huge difference in the salaries of a female and a male CEO. In Hollywood too, the pay scale of male and female actors differs drastically. For eons, girls have been brought up as a second preference. That will exist for a while. When I started in movies, a producer said to me that if I didn’t adjust my dates or my fees, they’d go ahead with a new face. The thought that girls are interchangeable in films really affected me. So when I did films like Fashion, I really wanted to be relevant.” — Priyanka Chopra
