Kriti Sanon calls out Bollywood’s gender pay gap: ‘Patriarchy is still deeply ingrained’

Bollywood for long has explored the deep rooted patriarchy in the society through charming storylines in movies like Thappad, Queen, Pink and others. However, in reality it might just have failed to evolve itself. Kriti Sanon in a recent interview opened up about the gender biases and pay disparity faced by the crew members in a movie set that no one cares about to address.

Bollywood’s equality problem isn’t over yet, says Kriti Sanon

Every time there’s a budget cut the female leads’ salary seems to be the only light at the end of the tunnel. Their salaries get cut while the male actors enjoy their agreed upon pays. Kriti opening up about the disparity in an interview said, “There's been some struggle around money. When they [producers] have to cut corners, they often negotiate down the female lead's fee, even though a large chunk of the budget goes to the male actor.”

She added, “Patriarchy is still deeply ingrained in the industry... and we have to keep shaking things up to move toward equality. It's subconscious, but it needs to change.”

Male actors who are not necessarily seniors get a higher pay even when the roles of the two actors are the same. Back in the day it was seen as an acceptable condition because females had lesser screen presence but overtime when women walked up the success ladder, the ritual didn’t change significantly. Prior to Kriti, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and others have also addressed this issue, but biases still reign strong. 

In the same interview Kriti was asked about her vision as a producer and whether these biases have shaped her ideology. She brilliantly replied that she is naturally drawn to strong female characters and hopes to create more opportunities for women. She explained, “As an actor, I'm drawn toward strong-minded, inspiring female characters, and that naturally reflects in the projects I produce as well. It doesn't mean I wouldn't do male-centric films...I'm open to that.”

On the work front, Kriti is set to appear in the upcoming rom-com film Cocktail 2 which is slated for its release in theatres on June 19, 2026.  

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