Kriti Sanon Calls Out Bollywood Pay Disparity

Kriti Sanon, known for her roles in movies like Mimi, Bareilly Ki Barfi, and Luka Chuppi, among others, slammed Bollywood for the gender pay gap in the industry. She asked why the pay is different if the work remains

the same.

"Actually, considering all the other industries, I don’t understand why the pay parity is not there. Because for certain kinds of roles, certain kinds of jobs, whether you are a male or a female, it shouldn’t matter, and the pay should be the same. In the films, yes we’ve been having this conversation for a very, very long time and trust me it pinches us more than anyone else," said Sanon speaking at the CNN-News18 event.

“Even if it’s a film led by a woman, I feel it’s not scaled at the same budget as a

film that is led by a man would be. But that’s also because producers are scared that they are not going to get as much money back. So I think it’s a circle where female-led films don’t end up making as much money as the male-led films, and then it’s like ‘oh, that’s why his fees are more or her fees are less’," she added.

ज़िंदगी तुम्हारे उसी गुण का इम्तिहान लेती है, जो तुम्हारे भीतर मौजूद है। मेरे अंदर इश्क़ था।
-अमृता प्रीतम

Introducing Mukti ❤️#TereIshkMein
An intense love story directed by my fav Aanand L Rai.. that’s a huge ✅ in my wish list 🥰🙏🏻🧿

Need your blessings and love for this… pic.twitter.com/SPvSciSIS5

— Kriti Sanon (@kritisanon) January 28, 2025

Kriti now stands at the centre of Indian cinema’s next big chapter. She is set to lead Don 3, Cocktail 2, and the much-awaited pan-India love saga Tere Ishk Meinopposite

Dhanush—each film positioned as a major tentpole in the years to come.