Actor
Arjun
Kapoor
believe
pay
disparity
in
film
industry
is
a
sensitive
issue
but
finds
it
"crass
and
rude" to
talk
about
how
much
one
gets
paid.
On
the
pay
disparity
in
Bollywood,
he
says
it
is
"not
about
actors
topping
actresses",
but
for
several
years
it
has
been
the
heroes
who
have
generated
business
at
the
ticket
windows
for
a
film.
"We
are
not
saying
that
if
you
give
them
(actress)
more
money,
we
will
not
work.
I
have
never
asked
how
much
my
co-star
is
paid," Arjun
told
reporters
at
'Bend
the
Gender'
event
here
last
evening.
"For
many
years,
there
has
been
a
certain
growth
of
business
because
the
main
lead
is
a
hero,
an
actor
is
the
protagonist.
The
audience
is
used
to
seeing
certain
kind
of
films,"
he
said.
He,
however,
believes
that
in
the
last
few
years
things
have
changed
for
women
in
the
industry
as
the
commercial
success
of
a
film
has
led
to
female
actors
getting
more
remuneration.
"I
hate
calling
it
a
woman-centric
film,
but,
for
example,
if
'Raazi' does
well,
Alia
Bhatt
will
be
paid
a
lot
of
money
for
her
next
film,"
he
said.
"Like
'NH
10'
works,
Anushka
Sharma's
salary
will
change.
It
is
a
sensitive
thing
to
discuss,
people's
prices,
I
find
it
very
crass
and
rude.
I
feel
this
conversation
leads
nowhere
as
no
one
knows
the
truth
except
the
bank
manager
and
those
who
make
the
contract," he
said.
The
actor
said
the
situation
is
not
perfect
but
nowadays
there
are
lot
of
ways
to
compensate
an
actor,
like
if
a
film
does
well,
they
are
paid
after
the
release.
"With
every
passing
film,
you
are
not
seeing
just
a
certain
kind
of
cinema.
The
way
cinema
changes,
similarly
this
conversation
will
decrease,"
he
said.
Asked
about
the
#MeToo
campaign
and
female
stars' standing
in
Bollywood,
he
said
actors
like
Kareena
Kapoor
Khan
are
the
best
example
of
women
having
a
great
career
even
after
marriage
and
child.
"I
am
talking
to
you
after
the
wedding
of
my
sister
Sonam
Kapoor,
she
will
continue
working.
Anushka
Sharma
has
been
working
after
her
wedding.
Kareena
is
a
prime
example,
she
has
been
back
on
set
fter
Taimur
(her
son)
was
born," he
said.
What
is
more
important,
according
to
Arjun,
is
to
make
a
safer
and
comfortable
environment
for
female
actors
to
grow
and
harness
their
skills.
"A
story
like
'Raazi'
seven
or
ten
years
back
could
be
hero-driven
but
today
it
is
content-driven.
It
is
based
on
a
true
story
and
they
have
not
changed
it
and
made
it
with
a
guy.
Evolution
is
there.
"India
is
a
very
big
country
so
I
am
trying
to
change
the
thinking
with
'Bend
the
gender'.
The
film
industry
will
not
change
or
evolve
overnight.
We
are
making
efforts,
so
we
give
credit
to
the
film
industry
as
we
are
way
more
secular
and
open," he
said.
Arjun
felicitated
those
who
stood
for
women's
rights
under
the
banner
'Bend-
The
Gender
Heroes'
at
the
event.
"I
felt
we
need
to
present
those
men
who
have
made
a
difference
in
the
lives
of
their
partner,
sister,
daughters,
and
are
supportive
and
encouraging,
one
can
support
just
by
standing
by
their
side,"
he
said.
"We
say
behind
every
successful
man
there
is
a
woman
as
she
sacrifices
a
lot,
so
same
way,
men
need
to
be
there
for
women.
Women
are
not
given
the
opportunity," he
said.
In
real
life,
he
thinks
his
sister
Anshula
Kapoor
is
more
talented
than
him.
"...she
inspires
me,
she
is
so
educated,
she
is
correct
and
sorted.
I
want
women
in
our
country
to
do
whatever
they
want
to
do,"
he
added.
(PTI
News)