Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 24, 2017)

It's rare for actors to not pay heed to their remuneration before signing on the dotted line. But, when it came to her upcoming film, Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana, Kriti Kharbanda was so impressed with the script that she willingly slashed her fee. “I could connect with the script at an emotional level. It was important for me to be a part of the film. So much so that I didn’t even discuss money. I just hopped on board at the price they quoted. I took a pay cut as I didn’t get paid as much as I did for my last few films.”

At a time when the industry’s leading ladies are screaming hoarse over gender pay divide, she says “equality in terms of respect is more important than materialistic changes”. “Rajkummar [Rao] and I haven’t obviously been paid equally. We both have different markets. The truth is he can get a certain kind of numbers,” says Kharbanda, who hasn’t been able to ape her success in the South, in B-Town.

She adds that the male actors are justified in demanding the money that they do, as they guarantee returns to their producers. “The male and female leads may have worked equally hard, but the hero is able to get better numbers. The junta worships the hero. How will anyone benefit if the producer suffers losses in the name of gender equality? If the producer can’t make money, even the next film won’t be made. That will only lead to the industry shutting shop.”

Arguing her side of the case further, she says, “See, Deepika Padukone demands the money because she has worked her way up. You can demand things when you deserve it.”