Kriti Sanon On Celebs Taking Pay Cuts For Female-Centric Film: ‘Difference Is Huge’

Bollywood sensation Kriti Sanon has defied the odds, solidifying her position as one of the most bankable actors in the industry in 2024. With her two consecutive earth-shattering films, namely Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya and Crew, reaching the 100-crore milestone, Kriti has become a beacon of success, pulling the praises of movie buffs. While the actress garnered critical acclaim from fans and cinema lovers, she recently opened up about the ongoing discussion about pay parity in the industry. While speaking to an entertainment media portal, the actress also hinted that she, Kareena, and Tabu had to take a paycut too for Crew.

In a recent chit-chat with Film Companion, Kriti was asked, referring to another interview with Sonam Kapoor, about how getting funding for a film led and headlined by women has changed in the industry between Veere Di Wedding and Crew. To which the Raabta actress smiled and shared, “Not much. Something very similar also happened during the crew. I feel like when there is a film on women, people are still scared to put in the amount of money that they would have for the same story had it been men.”

Elaborating further, she said that people are sort of apprehensive and scared to take the risk that these films are going to get the money back or not.

Discussing the pay parity of why some of her male co-stars get paid 10 times more than she gets, she stated, “When you see a budget going into a men-centric film, that’s insane. The difference is huge, and the difference in payment between male and female actors currently is also huge, for no reason. Sometimes, for no reason. Sometimes, you feel like it’s not like that person has given a hit in 10 years; then why is he getting paid 10 times more?”

“It doesn’t matter if there’s a guy or a girl in the film; it’s the story and how entertaining it is. I am hoping the balance gets somewhere in place,” she added.

Meanwhile, Crew featured Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kriti Sanon, and Tabu as leading ladies. The film centres around the lives of three flight attendants in a financially struggling airline sector. However, their destiny turns, and the trio gets an opportunity to make money illegally but gets entangled in a web of lies and deception. The movie got immense accolades, minting a total of Rs 75 crore at the box office.

Talking about her professional commitments, Kriti Sanon is roped in for the fifth installment of Tarun Mansukhani’s Housefull 5 with Akshay Kumar and Ritesh Deshmukh. She will also be seen in the crime thriller Do Patti, alongside Kajol. The movie marks Kriti’s debut as a producer under her banner, Blue Butterfly Films. Moreover, the actress has Bhediya 2 in her kitty opposite Varun Dhawan.