Many actresses, not just from Hollywood but also from Indian cinema, have complained about the pay gap between them and their male co-stars.
Kajol, who has been around in Bollywood for more than three decades and is counted among the most talented actresses, has now given her opinion on this issue of male stars getting loads of crores more than her.
Kajol, in a recent media interaction, said, “Female actors in Bollywood can ask for pay parity after they deliver a film like Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster Pathaan. If the industry makes a film like Hollywood’s Wonder Woman and if the audience accepts the film like they do with a film starring a star hero, then heroines can also demand a pay check as hefty as them.”
India is a hero-worshipping country. Even in terms of our Gods, Lord Rama, Lord Hanuman have more fans than Mata Sita. Our film industry is also male-dominated because it is driven by male superstars. The filmmakers in India will not invest in heroines in the same way as they do in star-hero films because they know the box office appeal will be limited.
Even in Hollywood, Wonder Woman made very little in terms of box office when compared to male-driven films like Iron Man or Spider-Man.
So it is better for actresses to accept the harsh reality and stop cribbing about pay parity as of now. Things might change, but it will take decades to change the perception of the industry or the mindset of the audience.
