• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • REVIEWS
    • TRAILERS
  • BUSINESS
  • CELEBRITIES
  • HOLLYWOOD
  • REGIONAL
  • TV
  • MUSIC
  • TOP LISTS

Bollywood Presents

Exotic locations where popular Bollywood movies were shot

You are here: Home / Uncategorized / Bollywood Actresses Feel They Get Paid Peanuts Compared to the Top Actors

Bollywood Actresses Feel They Get Paid Peanuts Compared to the Top Actors

September 18, 2015 by BollywoodPresents Team

pay disparity in bollywoodWith the success of women-centric Bollywood Films, the top actresses feel they should be paid more. Some of the biggest hits in Bollywood in recent times had female-oriented story lines. Examples being ‘Mary Kom’, ‘Queen’, ‘Piku’, ‘Tannu Weds Mannu’, etc., many of which crossed the Rs.100 crore mark (1 bn rupee gross earnings) that is generally considered a big hit in Bollywood.

Given the success of this emerging genre (where women feature prominently), film studios appear to be more confident about producing female-oriented movies where the main character is played by a woman, and not a man. Part of the change reflects the greater spending power of Indian women, who want to see movies starring women in stories they can relate to – not typical action or fantasy fare, where women are merely eye candy for male movie-goers.

Women, no doubt, are elated that they’re getting bigger and better roles and are not relegated to playing the male lead’s girlfriend, sister or mother. However, with the commercial success of these movies, Bollywood actresses are finally asking: where is the moolah?


  • The difference in male and female actors’ pay cheques is insane – Priyanka Chopra
  • Women need to get paid better in the so-called typically commercial films -Vidya Balan
  • We don’t get paid even one-third of what male actors get, just because we are women!- Kangana Ranaut
  • There’s a difference of several zeroes in the pay cheque I get vis-a-vis the Khans- Kareena Kapoor
  • The remuneration for women hasn’t changed since I came here. There’s a huge disparity- Katrina Kaif

How Much is the Disparity

In general, the top actresses, such as Deepika Padukone, get paid around tenth of what the top male actors (SRK, Salman, Aamir, Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar) make per film.

Priyanka Chopra calls the difference in remuneration “insane”, Katrina feels the gap is “huge”. Kangana feels actresses “don’t get paid even one-third of what actors get”.

Kareena Kapoor Khan was the only top heroine who, despite being aware of the disparity, had no complaints about the remuneration structure in the film industry. She said she gets “paid really well” for her films and she’s happy with that.

Sonam Kapoor also has a different take on this and felt that all the actors get paid according to their star status. She says production houses always estimate the returns that an actor or an actress would bring and then decide upon the investment that is to be made on them.

Top Actresses Are Vocal About the Issue

Actresses like Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut, Katrina have been vocal about the issue.

Says Aditi Rao Hydari, “Hats off to these ladies for speaking about it because I think we need to address this. I remember in a film of mine, though both my co-star and I were newcomers, he got far better paid than me. I was shocked and appalled. I actually asked him what different are you doing that you are getting better paid!”

However, the top actresses are also practical about the issue, and willing to be patient.

Deepika says, “If you compare our pay scale with the men, then yes it is very less. If you compare what women used to get before and what they’re getting now then I would say that there has been a major shift, and we are hoping and trying to get better pay for women. But this is not a war.” The actress feels when people give more stress on monetary gain, it compromises the beauty of filmmaking.

“It’s only going to get better from here as audiences are changing. We are moving toward a society where we have more educated and working class women. They’d like to see stronger women on screen,” said Kangana Ranaut.

“When more and more women-centred films become hits, the pay disparity in India will end,” said Priyanka Chopra, a leading Indian actress.

What Do Producers Have to Say?

Producers aren’t denying the truth on the pay disparity, and say that a fee that any star commands is not decided by the producer, but by the star’s market value. However they feel that this could change if more women-oriented films are made and appreciated by the audiences.

Says Pooja Bhatt, “It’s an old mindset, a feudal system. There is a general perception that women don’t sell films — a fact that is gradually changing world over. I, for one, ensure both my male and female actors get equal pay.”

Says producer Vashu Bhagnani, “I paid Kareena in lakhs ­earlier, now I pay her in crores. If more women-­oriented films are made and appreciated by the audiences, then even the producers will ­happily pay more to female actors.”

Filmmaker Vipul Shah suggests that the solution could be to go the Hollywood way, where stars get part of the film’s revenue depending on its fate.

Is Pay Disparity Confined Only to India

Not really! It exists in Hollywood as well, and for a long time this issue has been raised by women tennis players as well.

In Hollywood, age is also a significant factor. Actresses in their twenties generally earn more than their same-age male counterparts, but overall, the highest-paid male actors in American movies earn more than twice as much as females.

Closing Thoughts

While female-oriented movies have been doing extremely well at the box office, conventional films with top male stars in the lead are still the biggest earners in India.

Percentage wise, the number of women-centric films that get produced in Bollywood is still on the lower side. Till then, the disparity in remuneration of actors and actresses will remain a reality in the Indian film industry. However, like the leading actresses, even we’re hopeful that this scenario will change soon in the future.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

RELATED POSTS

Top Film / Video Post Production Services in India

Once the film is shot, it goes through post-production where the film is edited, colour corrected/graded, and enhanced to make it sleek. These are the top Film / Video Post Production Services where most Bollywood movies and other regional films go under the knife. Famous Studios Ltd. 20 Dr. E. Moses Road, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai, Maharashtra […]

kapil sharma

Top directors (Imtiaz, Kabir, Zoya) reveal names of actors who are always late on the film sets

Top directors (Imtiaz, Kabir, Zoya) reveal names of actors who are always late on the film sets. Salman Khan & Shahrukh Khan are Late-Latifs On his show ‘Koffee With Karan’, most of the time Karan Johar manages to put his guests in a spot, especially in the Rapid Fire round. He did the same to […]

bollywood at madame tussauds

India’s first Madame Tussauds to open in India (Mumbai loses out to Delhi)

Madame Tussauds is coming to India, the first museum will come up in Delhi. I guess this is another missed opportunity for Mumbai, home to Bollywood and the entertainment capital of India. The first Madame Tussauds museum in India will open in Delhi (and not Mumbai). The Madame Tussauds museum in Delhi will be located […]

Bollywood Concert Celebrates UAE National Day & Expo 2020 Win

UAE’s Dubai’s biggest Bollywood concert of the year celebrates UAE’s National Day & Dubai’s victory to host the World Expo 2020. Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone & Madhuri Dixit were the star attractions of the show, which was held at the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium. Jacqueline Fernandez and Rapper Yo Yo Honey […]

Video: Indian soldiers carrying voting machines for elections assaulted in Kashmir, celebrities react

Indian soldiers (CRPF jawaans) carrying voting machines for elections were assaulted in Kashmir by some youths, celebrities react in anger. A video showing Kashmir youth hitting and slapping Indian soldiers (CRPF jawaans), returning after election duty in Srinagar has gone viral. Here’s the video. While no-one from the film fraternity has commented on the video, […]

Bollywood Celebrities Turn Entrepreneurs, Invest in Startups

Bollywood celebrities are turning entrepreneurs and investing in Startups. For some its just another investment opportunity, for others its to show their entrepreneurial skills, but some are doing it so that they have another source of cash-flow thus freeing themselves to do acting for the passion and excitement that it bring. In the past (several […]

Madhya Pradesh tourism

Madhya Pradesh Tourism : Watch these truly creative ads (without any celebrities)

Madhya Pradesh (MP) Tourism videos: checkout some creative ads promoting MP tourism. And there are no celebrities in these ads, just plain creativity that engages you and drives away the point. The best part about Madhya Pradesh Tourism campaigns is that they all look like a piece of art. Ogilvy & Mather, MP Tourism’s agency […]

Mahatma Gandhi

Top Celebrities, World Leaders and Thinkers who were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi

Top Celebrities, World Leaders and Thinkers who were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. The list is very long, and we have picked just a few. Here are the celebrities and creative people who were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. George Bernard Shaw Nobel-prize-winning Irish playwright and passionate socialist, George Bernard Shaw on Gandhi, “Impressions of Gandhi? You […]

salman khan

Top 10 hottest women Salman Khan dated, none resulted in marriage

Superstar Salman Khan is the most eligible bachelor in Bollywood. The dashing Khan looks hot, despite crossing fifty. While everybody is keen to know when he’s going to get married, Salman seems to be in no such hurry. Salman is also famous for his relationships with various (hot) actresses from the industry. Here we take […]

movie business

Meghna Ghai Puri takes Whistling Woods film School to new heights

Whistling Woods International (WWI), brainchild of filmmaker Subhash Ghai, was ranked among the top 10 film schools in the world by Hollywood Reporter in 2010. Meghna Ghai-Puri, daughter of Subhash Ghai, now manages Whistling Woods. Launched in 2006, Whistling Woods International (WWI) today trains thousands of students and is considered Asia’s largest film, TV, animation […]

Primary Sidebar

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

RECENT POSTS

Bobby Deol

Bobby Deol completes 25 yrs in Bollywood

Son of Bollywood veteran Dharmendra and brother to Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol recently completed 25 … [Read More...] about Bobby Deol completes 25 yrs in Bollywood

Shabana Azmi

Shabana Azmi: One of the finest actors of Indian cinema

Shabana Azmi, an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) of Pune, made her film … [Read More...] about Shabana Azmi: One of the finest actors of Indian cinema

war movie

Here’s how much Hrithik Roshan was paid for his 2019 hit film ‘War’

Hrithik Roshan is a superstar in Bollywood and is among the highest paid actors in the film … [Read More...] about Here’s how much Hrithik Roshan was paid for his 2019 hit film ‘War’

sooryavanshi movie

Bollywood facing losses of 5000+ crore due to pandemic lockdown

Almost everybody associated with the film industry is despondent about the future. With COVID-19 … [Read More...] about Bollywood facing losses of 5000+ crore due to pandemic lockdown

Money Scandals

Indian film celebrities caught in Tax Controversies

In Bollywood and other film industries in India, there's a saying that "there's no business like the … [Read More...] about Indian film celebrities caught in Tax Controversies

celebrity endorsements

It’s 2020 and Bollywood is still obsessed with fair skin

Makers of the upcoming movie 'Khaali Peeli', starring Ananya Panday and Ishaan Khatter, are facing … [Read More...] about It’s 2020 and Bollywood is still obsessed with fair skin

Kangana Ranaut's pali hill office

BMC demolish illegal constructions by Bollywood actors & filmmakers

BMC begins the demolition of illegal alterations to Kangana Ranaut's office in Bandra. The … [Read More...] about BMC demolish illegal constructions by Bollywood actors & filmmakers

deepika padukone

Deepika Padukone: Net worth and luxury splurges

Deepika Padukone is one of the leading actors in Bollywood and commands a higher remuneration than … [Read More...] about Deepika Padukone: Net worth and luxury splurges

Hrithik Roshan

Rakesh Roshan completes 50 years in Bollywood, talks about Bollywood

Veteran actor and filmmaker Rakesh Roshan has completed five decades in the film industry. However, … [Read More...] about Rakesh Roshan completes 50 years in Bollywood, talks about Bollywood

Sushant Singh Rajput

Showik Chakraborty, Samuel Miranda admit to Drugs Procurement, arrested by NCB

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested Showik Chakraborty and Samuel Miranda in connection with … [Read More...] about Showik Chakraborty, Samuel Miranda admit to Drugs Procurement, arrested by NCB

Amazon Fashion

Footer

Upcoming Bollywood Movies

  • Love Aaj Kal Movie
  • Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele Movie
  • Hawayein Movie
  • Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan Movie
  • The Hundred Bucks Movie
  • BHOOT: Part One – The Haunted Ship Movie
  • Haunted Hills Movie
  • 'O' Pushpa I Hate Tears Movie
  • Guns Of Banaras Movie
  • Thappad Movie

Bollywood Movie Reviews

  • Malang Review
  • Jawaani Jaaneman Review
  • Panga Review
  • Street Dancer 3D Review
  • Tanhaji – The Unsung Warrior Review
  • Chhapaak Review
  • Good Newwz Review

Top Celebs

  • Ajay Devgn
  • Kajol
  • Saif Ali Khan
  • Shraddha Kapoor
  • Varun Dhawan
  • Deepika Padukone
  • Kangana Ranaut
  • Tabu
  • Aditya Roy Kapur
  • Disha Patani
  • Rajinikanth

About Us

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Sitemap
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2021 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in