Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit recently spoke about pay disparity in the film industry at the 2025 IIFA Weekend in Jaipur. She believes that women in cinema still struggle for equal pay and have to prove themselves repeatedly to show they can bring audiences to theaters.
Women Still Face Pay Gap in Bollywood
Madhuri, known for hit films like Tezaab, Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Dil To Pagal Hai, Khalnayak, and Devdas, participated in a session called “The Journey of Women in Cinema.”
Speaking at the event, she said:
“For women, they have to prove themselves time and again. We have to show that we are equal and can draw audiences, but we must prove it every single time. There is still a disparity in pay.”
She also explained that the fight for equal pay is slow progress, saying:
“It’s like taking baby steps. We are still far from eliminating this disparity, and we have to work towards it every day.”
Producer Guneet Monga on Pay Gap
Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga, who also attended the event, agreed with Madhuri. She said:
“There is a clear pay gap. Women have to prove themselves ten times more to get the same opportunities as men. It’s difficult, and I believe male actors should also talk about this issue.”
She gave the example of Stree 2, one of the highest-grossing Hindi films, to show that films led by women can succeed.
“There is a chance to create more films like this. We just need to take more risks on women artists,” she added.
Madhuri Dixit on Strong Female Roles
Madhuri also talked about playing strong female characters throughout her career. She mentioned films like Beta, Dil, Raja, Dil To Pagal Hai, and Mrityudand.
She particularly loved working in Mrityudand because it was about women’s empowerment.
“People saw me as a ‘commercial film actress’ and told me not to do Mrityudand because it was considered an art film. But I took the role because it was about a woman standing up for herself,” she said.
More Women in Bollywood Today
Madhuri shared that in the past, the only women on film sets were actors and hairdressers. There were very few female directors.
“Earlier, I knew only one woman director, Sai Paranjpye. But now, when I walk on sets, I see women in every department—assistant directors, cinematographers, writers, and directors. It’s a big and heartwarming change.”
However, Monga pointed out that more work is needed. She shared shocking facts about women in the industry:
- Less than 3% of directors in cinema are women.
- Less than 9% of crew members are women.
- Women cinematographers are often given small-budget films, but when a bigger film is made, the same crew is replaced with men.
“We are born in a patriarchal society, and we are learning feminism every day,” Monga said.
IIFA 2025 Celebrations
The 25th edition of the IIFA Awards will take place on Saturday and Sunday. The event will be hosted by Karan Johar and Kartik Aaryan and will feature special performances by Shah Rukh Khan, Karisma Kapoor, and Kareena Kapoor Khan.
Madhuri’s words remind us that while Bollywood has made progress, there is still a long way to go for women to achieve true equality in cinema.
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