Why Katrina Kaif Called Bollywood's Pay Parity A 'Tricky Debate'

Katrina Kaif, a successful actor working in the Indian film industry for two decades, addressed the persistent issue of the gender pay gap in cinema during an interview with Film Companion while promoting her upcoming film, Merry Christmas. She acknowledged the complexity of the matter, admitting that achieving pay parity in Indian cinema remains a "really tricky topic." When questioned about the industry's progress towards bridging the pay gap between men and women compared to two decades ago, Katrina Kaif bluntly stated, "No. That's the only simple answer to that. In a word."

Katrina Kaif elaborated on the complexity of the gender pay gap issue by highlighting a common argument citing the difference in box office numbers between male and female-led films. She likened a film to a recipe with multiple crucial ingredients, emphasising the challenge of determining which element is most vital. Personally, she believes it would be remarkable to witness more equality in this regard.

'This Is A Tricky Debate', Katrina Kaif On Pay Parity In The Industry

And I think that's a really really tricky topic. Because I have heard it being said that 'look at the top 10 openings of male-led films, and look at the top 10 openings of just female-led films'. And more often than not, there's a big disparity in the numbers. I have heard this said by an actor – ‘so then why should actresses be paid the same'. This is a tricky debate. I mean, who is to decide which ingredient is the most important to make a dish? A film is a combination of many ingredients. I, personally, think that it would be incredible to see a little more equality.

Furthermore, she expressed optimism about the industry's progression towards greater parity and suggested that everyone in the film industry is inclined to support this positive shift.

The actor also emphasised the significance of prioritising dedication to one's craft over the pursuit of financial success as a professional woman. She likened prioritising money before passion to a situation akin to placing the cart before the horse.

In the upcoming film Merry Christmas, Katrina Kaif will star alongside Vijay Sethupathi, directed by Sriram Raghavan. The thriller, shot in both Hindi and Tamil, is set to hit theatres on January 12th.