Pay Disparity In The Industry Is Frustrating: Kriti Sanon On Bollywood’s Power Dynamics

Kriti Sanon is one of the few actresses in Bollywood who has never shied away from candidly putting across her honest opinions on social media. From motivating a minor who survived an acid attack, slamming a politician who blamed rape on women and their ‘sanskaar’, to urging people to report domestic violence, Kriti has time and again raised her voice against social issues that need to be addressed. 

The Raabta actress recently opened up once again about the power disparity that blatantly exists in Bollywood. Kriti explained that she has learned over time that power imbalance exists in every field and it’s human nature to feel frustrated about it. She said in an interview, “To be very honest, I think power imbalances exist in every field and every industry. My mom is a professor and I have seen it happening in her college also. My dad used to work in an office and it happened there. Somewhere or the other it’s always there around us. What’s more important is for you to realise that you have a journey of your own, totally different from other peoples’. So yes, it does get frustrating sometimes when I feel that I deserve something more than a person who is probably getting it.”

She also added that even though she has a very optimistic approach towards life, the constant unfairness can get on anyone’s nerves. She said, “I genuinely believe that everything happens for a reason and everything happens for good. So, if some door is not opening for me, maybe the other one will, and maybe that’s the one that is actually better for me, but I’ve just not realised it yet. I’m a very positive person, having said that, I am also human who goes through bouts of frustration and helplessness when I feel that someone is being a bully, or using their power in the wrong way. It’s also frustrating to see the pay disparity in the industry. I use all of this energy and channelise it into my work. That keeps me sane, that keeps me at peace.”

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This is not the first time when the Bareilly Ki Barfi actress shared her views on pay and gender disparity in Bollywood. She had expressed her disappointment towards gender biasedness when Kartik Aryan had single-handedly received all the credits for the success of Luka Chuppi. Addressing the issue, she had said, “It’s logical to talk about only the male protagonist when the leading lady doesn’t have a lot to do, but when they are both carrying a film on their shoulders, the credit should be equally shared. Everybody deserves a mention.”

Another successful Bollywood actress, Taapsee Pannu, had also criticised the unfair power dynamics in the entertainment industry when Amitabh Bachchan had received all the credits for their movie Badla. Recently, actress Manisha Koirala had also called out the Bollywood filmmakers for discriminating actors on the basis of age and gender. She wondered why actors above the age of forty were still playing the lead roles while actresses of the same age were offered ‘motherly’ roles. 

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Well, we think that it is high time that Bollywood and critics learn from their mistakes and rise above gender disparity. As an audience, we want to see actresses in more substantial roles and get credit when it’s due! 

Feature Image: Instagram