The debate on equal pay in Bollywood is being discussed again, with Saif Ali Khan putting his thoughts on the record. Recently, Khan discussed the age-old debate on the pay discrepancy among actors within the industry. While supporting the idea of fair pay for actors, he has also taken into account the many aspects of filmmaking that make this conversation much more complicated than it seems.
Speaking as a guest on a podcast that is hosted by his sister and actress Soha Ali Khan, Saif Ali Khan shared his thoughts about how pay in this industry is determined as well as why pay disparity is complicated in many instances. Actor/Director Kunal Kemmu was also present during the conversation and offered his perspective on how the economics of filmmaking can impact the salaries of actors.
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Saif Ali Khan stated that all actors of equivalent stature should be compensated the same. However, many factors play a role in determining salaries in this business, given that it operates as a business model that is based on market demand, as well as star power. As he explained, “If the actors are of equal stature, they should be paid the same amount. But I also feel the economics work in a certain way. If you are putting people in seats in the theatre, you get paid accordingly. Everyone understands that relationship.”
The actor believes that the amount paid to someone is dependent on how much revenue they are able to generate for the film at the box office. If the actor is able to attract people to go see a movie in a theatre, it will generally have an effect on how much money they can charge to work there.
According to the actor, this is not a gender biased industry, but is simply reflective of the way that the entertainment business works, as a commercial ecosystem. Saif noted, “It’s not like just because you are a certain gender you deserve to be paid more or less. It’s actually a very balanced economic system where people are clear that this person is a superstar because they are filling theatres. They know their worth, charge that price, and get paid.”
His comments came at a time when discussions surrounding fair wages and working conditions for Bollywood actors have increased. Many actresses have indirectly and directly pointed out the disparity in wages between male and female actors, particularly with the success of the actresses against the success of the male actors.
In the same conversation, Kunal Kemmu stated that historically, there have been formulas used to determine actor wage rates, whereas previously, distributors could calculate the expected revenue from the film based on the star attached to the property, which resulted in determining how much an actor could make.
He added that, if female-led films were to regularly draw in audiences to theaters on par with big-budget male-led films, then the debate regarding equal pay would have changed over the years due to the fact that market demand would require equal pay for both male and female performers by default.
The actors also brought up how streaming platforms have changed the financial side of the industry. Since OTT platforms do not rely solely on box-office performance to determine their budgets, they allow for more diversity in casting and storytelling.
Saif’s comments highlight the tension that persists between the desire for equal pay and the reality of the entertainment industry’s economic structures. His insight into the issue demonstrates that, while the debate over pay parity is rapidly increasing, the way in which actors are compensated remains largely based on their ability to draw audiences to theaters. The ongoing conversation regarding pay parity within Bollywood will undoubtedly continue as the industry matures in correlation with changing consumer tastes, as well as the emergence of new business models associated with digital media.
