For the longest time, actors have been speaking out about gender equality as well as parity. But many believe that not much has changed in the entertainment industry. Actor Sayani Gupta, who has always been vocal, shares, “There have been conversations... But I don’t think it’s really there in practice.”

She continues, “Pay parity is very lopsided. It is hierarchical and very problematic. Actors don’t get paid as much as they should. I am not talking about stars… They are always trying to cut costs when it comes to paying actors.”

The Four More Shots Please! actor admits that the backbone of films, writers, too, don’t get paid as much. She mentions, “Writers don’t get paid as much as they should, and it is not about the five biggest writers in the industry.”

There is no denying that the fee structure of the film industry is skewed, and Gupta asserts that it is “in terms of class”. “A film set is very hierarchical, with a kind of pyramid structure, where it becomes lopsided when it comes to the fee structures. So, I really hope that in our lifetime, we are able to see a more fair pay structure,” says the actor.

After starting her journey in the industry in 2010, she has explored varied stories and characters, which also shines bright in her project report from last year, with names such as Pagglait, Kaali Peeli Tales and Inside Edge Season 3.

Opening up about it, the 36-year-old shares, “In the middle of last year, I started feeling extremely uninspired with the quality of work around me. Then, in the last couple of months, it has been exciting workwise… The lineup is good this year. But that doesn’t mean, I am satisfied as an artist.”

After spending two decades in the industry now, she wants to be undeniable. “I am not coming from a point of pomposity or ego. In the past, when I used to audition for a project, I was told, ‘It was good, but didn’t work out’. I don’t understand why. I want to be at a stage where, if I give an audition for anything, and I am good at it, then nobody else is able to deny me the opportunity,” the actor concludes.