EXCLUSIVE: Bhumi Pednekar on pay parity in Bollywood: ‘If the budget is Rs. 125 crore, the males get a good two-digit figure but then they want me to be thankful’

Bollywood Hungama hosted its roundtable with actresses who made a mark in 2022 in films. Bhumi Pednekar, Tamannaah Bhatia were amongst the actresses who were in attendance along with Rakul Preet Singh, Alaya F and Huma Qureshi. The actresses spoke about several aspects of their careers including the discussion around pay parity and whether things have changed at all over the past few years.

Speaking at the Bollywood Hungama Actresses Round Table 2022 presented by Astroyogi, Tammanaah Bhatia said that women have to build a strong market for themselves to move ahead whereas Rakul Preet Singh noted that they is still a long road ahead in terms of pay parity. Bhumi Pednekar then said, “I could have as many Rs. 100 or Rs. 200 crore films as my male co-star. I may be appreciated for my work but it’s a norm that I will not be paid as close to what he is being paid”. She added that the change has to come from every corner.

She further said, “The disparity was also in the west but the men there stood up for women. They said either they will take a pay cut or get them the same remuneration. And while I don’t want anyone to stand up for me, there has to be empathy. One needs to acknowledge the issue.”

However, Huma Qureshi said that male actors have created a market for themselves over the years. “But we should also understand that the males have created a market over years. We cannot pitch 10 female films with the 100s they have,” she said.

Adding further, Bhumi said, “If the budget is Rs. 125 crore, the males get a good two-digit figure but then they want me to be thankful. You have come to me because I add a certain amount of credibility but they always make it sound like an opportunity.” Rakul Preet Singh said that it is because the actresses are replaceable in the movies.

On the work front, Bhumi Pednekar starred in two movies this year – Badhaai Do and Govinda Naam Mera. Bhumi will now be seen in films like Anubhav Sinha’s Bheed, Ajay Bahl’s The Ladykiller, Sudhir Mishra’s Afwaah, Gauri Khan produced Bhakshak, Mudassar Aziz’s Mere Husband Ki Biwi and a couple of more unannounced projects that will push the bar for cinema.

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