The debate around pay disparity in the Indian film industry has been ongoing for years, with actors and filmmakers often discussing the difference in earnings between male and female stars. Recently, actor Saif Ali Khan shared his perspective on the issue, saying that an actor’s pay largely depends on their ability to draw audiences to theatres.
Saif spoke about the topic during a recent podcast episode on his sister Soha Ali Khan’s YouTube channel. Actor and filmmaker Kunal Kemmu also joined the conversation, and the trio discussed how the economics of the film industry works.
During the discussion, Saif and Kunal pointed out that salaries in Bollywood are often determined by box-office performance and audience demand rather than gender. According to Saif, actors who can bring people to theatres naturally command higher pay.
“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,” Saif said.
He further explained that the system is driven by market value rather than gender differences. “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,” he added.
Saif’s comments have once again sparked conversation about how pay is determined in the film industry, with many continuing to debate whether box-office pull alone should define an actor’s remuneration.
