Not Content To Be Second Leads

Though petted, fussed over and held up as glamorous icons, they had silently suffered the indignity of taking home far lesser pay than their male counterparts for generations. Then, the discontent simmering beneath the surface splendour of actresses burst forth into the open at the 2015 Oscars ceremony. Up on the podium to receive the best supporting actress award, Patricia Arquette let it rip. 바카라�To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else바카라�s equal rights,바카라� she said. 바카라�It is time to have wage equality once and for all. And equal rights for women of United States of America.바카라� Her speech received a standing ovation; in the audience, Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez cheered wildly.

Since then, gender pay disparity is talked about openly in Hollywood. In the Indian entertainment industry, where the same situation obtains, things are finally changing, but at a snail바카라�s pace. Actress Pallavi Joshi says, 바카라�There has always been a gender pay disparity in the entertainment industry because it has been very man-centric바카라�hero-worshipping, never heroine-worshipping. We have accepted heroes advanced in age as college-going boys. The moment a woman turns recognisably 30 people start saying, arey yeh toh buddhi dikhney lage (She has started looking old). This was the mentality till the new generation came about.바카라�

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Even now, films with strong female protagonists바카라�female-centric, in contemporary parlance바카라�are sold at a lower price to distributors because of the prevalent belief that they aren바카라�t profitable. Actress Shefali Shah once told Outlook, 바카라�Our industry is still male-dominated and it reflects in everything, from roles to remuneration. An actress is cast as a female lead till she바카라�s 25. This doesn바카라�t apply to male actors.바카라�

The recent World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap 2021 report is a ref­lection of India바카라�s tardy progress and commitment towards bridging the gender gap.  Tanya Singh, director, IPE Global, says, 바카라�With several of its neighbours doing better, the dip is an indication of how India distributes resources and opportunities inequitably between women and men. It is not encouraging to see India as the third-worst performer in South Asia.바카라� With the highest level of ine­quality in politics (22 per cent women) coupled with a widening of the gender gap in economic participation by three per cent this year, India needs to address the issue urgently. Singh adds, 바카라�It is imperative to invest and commit to these areas for a promising future바카라�. We do not want to wait for a century to bring equality between men and women.바카라�

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In a chat with Neha Dhupia on her podcast No Filter Neha, Taapsee Pannu opened up about the issue. She talked about how she has been paid a mere five to ten per cent of the male lead바카라�s pay. 바카라�Just look at the number of male directors we have,바카라� says Joshi. 바카라�You can count the number of female directors on one hand. Again, how many are actually successful and has been considered 바카라�good바카라�?바카라�

However, with a steady trickle of women-oriented movies, actresses are claiming their due at last. Yet Joshi still feels, 바카라�There is going to be a long time before the pay disparity between female and male stars is erased. They pay Akshay Kumar Rs 40 crore plus as producers and filmmakers feel success is guaranteed. Women too need to rise up to that challenge and make a film work.바카라�

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New initiatives are also afoot to hasten the process. Ekta Kapoor, Guneet Monga and Tahira Kashyap Khurrana recently launched a cinema collective, Indian Women Rising, which will discover and nurture Indian female talent in cinema. Spearheaded by three prolific women industry stalwarts, this passion project is born with a sole purpose of disrupting the status quo and amplifying the voice of female film-makers.

Tahira says, 바카라�The fact that women comprise barely five per cent of directors is a matter of concern, so we felt that an intention of empowering other women was needed.바카라� To this, film-maker Guneet Monga adds, 바카라�When a woman enters a room, her abilities are doubted. I hope mainstream cinema recognises and celebrates women creators.바카라�

Most actresses strongly believe it바카라�s time that long-ingrained perceptions and thought processes changed바카라�like the assumption that women are only pretty appendages in a film, while highly-paid male actors are the ones audiences want to watch. Actress Shweta Tripathi explains, 바카라�If we want to see the change, we need to be the change and that needs to happen not only in the entertainment industry, but across industries. If girls are treated at par with boys in society, only then will there be change.바카라�

After being in the industry for ten years, Tripathi feels she should be paid for her time and the value she adds to the project. 바카라�I am happy that things are changing vis-a-vis wage parity. When I set a price for a project I don바카라�t compare or ask what my co-actors are getting. My manager and I fix the price and we stick to it,바카라� adds Tripathi.

Talking about how difficult the industry has been for women, actor-producer Pooja Bhatt, who made a comeback as an actress with Bombay Begums, says in a recent interview with Outlook, 바카라�Stepping into production was like getting into the big boys바카라� club. I was told, 바카라�you are a commercial actor and have your best years ahead of you. Why do you want to give that up and start making movies?바카라�바카라� In spite of her privileged, insider background, people questioned her ability. 바카라�Navigating a man바카라�s world, I really had to put in a lot of effort to deliver films like Zakhm, Tamanna and Dushman. Even after winning two national awards there were doubters,바카라� she says.

Talking about how rampantly meagre the pays and privileges are for women in comparison with male actors, act­ress Maanvi Gagroo says, 바카라�In addition to the fee, other things differ바카라�the type of vanity van, hotel room, staff costs etc., where the gender disparity is starkly in favour of males.바카라� Actress Kubra Sait weighs in: 바카라�If more films are made with female on the lead roles, it will lead to a decline in the pay gap, which we are rooting for.바카라� Sait notes with hope that in OTT platforms, the gap is significantly lesser. 바카라�The world of cinema is ever evolving and has now moved beyond just box office releases and that has changed the maths.바카라�

Actress Richa Chadda believes that Bollywood only rewards box office success. She tells Outlook, 바카라�What you earn depends on the money your last film earned. This has been my experience. I have seen projects where the female lead has earned a few times more than the male lead, as she was a bigger star. I have been paid at par, if not more, than my male counterparts of equal standing.바카라�

Some actresses believe that with the change in the trade winds due to OTTs as well as more awareness, women are increasingly being more assertive in matters of gender bias. They can afford to do too, with female-centric films performing supremely well at the box office. Actress producer and director Divya Khosla Kumar says, 바카라�This change has catapulted women to the top league and I think a gender pay gap is no longer exi­stent, with female leads being paid the same or sometimes even more than men! It바카라�s a great feeling to see women on top!바카라�