Kriti Sanon, the actor we loved in Mimi, Bareilly Ki Barfi, and Luka Chuppi, has spoken up about the gender pay gap in Bollywood. At a CNN-News18 event, she questioned why women still get paid less than men when they do the same work. She said equal pay should be a rule in every industry, including films. Kriti also pointed out that movies led by women usually get smaller budgets than those led by men, which keeps the problem going in a cycle. While she is raising these tough issues, she is also ready for her biggest films yet—Don 3, Cocktail 2, and Tere Ishk Mein opposite Dhanush.
ज़िंदगी तुम्हारे उसी गुण का इम्तिहान लेती है, जो तुम्हारे भीतर मौजूद है। मेरे अंदर इश्क़ था।
-अमृता प्रीतमIntroducing Mukti ❤️#TereIshkMein
An intense love story directed by my fav Aanand L Rai.. that’s a huge ✅ in my wish list 🥰🙏🏻🧿Need your blessings and love for this… pic.twitter.com/SPvSciSIS5
— Kriti Sanon (@kritisanon) January 28, 2025
Kriti Takes on Pay Inequality
Kriti did not hold back. She said, “Considering all other industries, I don’t understand why pay parity is not there. For certain roles and jobs, whether male or female, it should not matter. The pay should be the same.” She added that this conversation has dragged on for years, but female actors feel the pinch the most. Her words echoed the frustration of many women in the film industry who continue to fight for equal recognition.
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The Cycle of Bias
She went further to explain why the gap persists while Kriti pointed out that even when a film is led by a woman, the project is not scaled to the same budget as one fronted by a man. Producers, she said, fear that returns will be lower. This fear keeps budgets small, female-led films make less money, and the same result is then used to justify lower fees for women. Kriti described it as a vicious cycle that the industry refuses to break.
A Career at Its Peak
Ironically, Kriti is at one of the strongest points in her career. She will headline Don 3, a franchise with massive expectations, as well as Cocktail 2, the sequel to the hit film. She is also set to star in Tere Ishk Mein, a pan-India love story opposite Dhanush. These projects prove her star power and her ability to carry big releases and yet her remarks underline the reality that even actresses with such box office potential still face a pay gap.
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Why It Matters
Kriti’s remarks have reignited a debate that Bollywood can no longer ignore and the push for equal pay is not just about fairness—it is about recognising the value of talent regardless of gender. With her rising lineup of films, Kriti has shown that women-led cinema can command scale and audience attention.
