Saif Ali Khan Says Pay Gap in Bollywood Isn’t About Gender: ‘It’s A Balanced Economic System’
The conversation around pay disparity in Bollywood continues to spark debate, and actor Saif Ali Khan has now shared his perspective on the issue. In a recent podcast discussion with his sister Soha Ali Khan and actor Kunal Kemmu, the actor said that salaries in the film industry are primarily determined by economics and audience demand rather than gender.
During the discussion, Saif said that actors of similar stature should ideally receive the same pay. However, he explained that remuneration in the industry often depends on how much a star can attract audiences to theatres. According to him, actors who bring in more viewers naturally command higher fees because of their box-office value.
Saif described the system as a reflection of market demand rather than bias. He noted that the film business functions like an economic model where producers and distributors calculate an actor’s worth based on the revenue they can generate. “It’s not like just because you are a certain gender you deserve to be paid more or less,” he said, adding that the system works as a “balanced economic system.”
Kunal Kemmu also spoke about the “maths” behind how actor salaries are decided in Bollywood. He explained that historically distributors could estimate how much money a film would recover based on the star power attached to it. That calculation often influenced a film’s budget as well as the fees paid to actors.
The discussion also touched on how star power shapes a film’s financial planning. According to Kemmu, if a particular actor helps producers sell distribution rights for higher amounts, their remuneration increases accordingly. This model, he said, has long influenced how Bollywood determines an actor’s value.
Saif Ali Khan’s comments add another perspective to the ongoing conversation around pay parity in Indian cinema, highlighting how box-office economics, audience demand and star power continue to shape the industry’s payment structure.
During the discussion, Saif said that actors of similar stature should ideally receive the same pay. However, he explained that remuneration in the industry often depends on how much a star can attract audiences to theatres. According to him, actors who bring in more viewers naturally command higher fees because of their box-office value.
Saif described the system as a reflection of market demand rather than bias. He noted that the film business functions like an economic model where producers and distributors calculate an actor’s worth based on the revenue they can generate. “It’s not like just because you are a certain gender you deserve to be paid more or less,” he said, adding that the system works as a “balanced economic system.”
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Kunal Kemmu also spoke about the “maths” behind how actor salaries are decided in Bollywood. He explained that historically distributors could estimate how much money a film would recover based on the star power attached to it. That calculation often influenced a film’s budget as well as the fees paid to actors.
The discussion also touched on how star power shapes a film’s financial planning. According to Kemmu, if a particular actor helps producers sell distribution rights for higher amounts, their remuneration increases accordingly. This model, he said, has long influenced how Bollywood determines an actor’s value.
Saif Ali Khan’s comments add another perspective to the ongoing conversation around pay parity in Indian cinema, highlighting how box-office economics, audience demand and star power continue to shape the industry’s payment structure.
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