Wamiqa Gabbi Calls Out Pay Gap, Asks ‘Why Don't Male Actors' Fees Get Affected When Films Flop'
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Wamiqa Gabbi slams pay disparity in Bollywood, asks why male actors aren't penalised when their films fail at the box office.
Wamiqa Gabbi, who has steadily carved her niche in the Hindi film industry, is no longer holding back on topics others might shy away from. After the success of Bhool Chuk Maaf, which strengthened her position as a reliable performer, the actress is now speaking candidly about gender-based pay disparity in Bollywood and questioning the industry's long-standing logic behind actor remuneration.
In a recent interview with Zoom, Wamiqa, who comes from a non-film background, opened up about navigating her career and the uphill battle female actors face. She pointed out how, despite proven talent and on-screen impact, women continue to be paid less than their male counterparts.
'The fact that pay disparity exists doesn't consume me," she said, 'but there is this feeling that you're a woman and you will be paid less and that is how it is. The reasoning is that a male actor can pull that much audience, but you can't make a film without the heroine. I don't understand the logic behind this. Sometimes, they take a hero and pay a lot of money, and then the film doesn't work. Why doesn't their fees get affected?"
Her pointed observations have struck a chord with many who have long criticised the industry's double standards. Wamiqa went on to say that she is finding creative ways to prove her commercial worth and fight back against the pay gap. 'I want to find different ways to earn that money. I wish to do it in a creative way where I feel happier and decrease that pay gap for myself. I can't deny this fact that pay disparity is there. Not every 'male-centric' film can do without the female lead."
Post-Bhool Chuk Maaf, Wamiqa is set to appear in Dil Ka Darwaza Khol Na Darling alongside Jaya Bachchan and Siddhant Chaturvedi. She also has Priyadarshan's horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla with Akshay Kumar, Tabu, and Paresh Rawal, and will headline the Telugu action-thriller Goodachari 2 with Adivi Sesh.
First Published:
June 06, 2025, 04:39 IST
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