Saif Ali Khan on pay disparity: Not about gender, it’s about who is filling the theaters
Saif Ali Khan shares his views on the pay inequality debate in the film industry, saying that actors of similar height should be given equal pay.
Actor Saif Ali Khan talks about the long-running debate over pay inequality in the film industry. He said that an actor’s salary should depend on his box-office appeal and ability to draw audiences to theatres, and not on gender. Speaking about the issue, Saif said that actors who bring audiences to theaters naturally get higher salaries as the economics of the industry are closely linked to market value and star power.
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Saif was recently seen in a podcast episode Youtube channel Her sister, actor Soha Ali Khan, where her husband and actor Kunal Kemmu also joined the conversation. During the discussion, the trio pointed out how the pay structure in the film industry often gives rise to debate, especially when it comes to the earnings of male and female stars.
Sharing his viewpoint, Saif said that actors who enjoy the same level of popularity and stature should ideally be paid the same amount. Also, he explained that the industry works on certain economic principles that determine an actor’s remuneration.
Saif said, “If actors are of similar stature, they should be paid the same amount. But I also think economics work in a certain way. If you are putting people on seats in a theatre, you get paid accordingly. Everyone understands that relationship.”
He further explained that the system is not designed to favor any one gender, but is instead influenced by how much an actor contributes to a film’s box-office potential.
Saif said, “It’s not that just because you are of a certain gender you should be paid more or less. It’s actually a very balanced economic system where people are clear that this person is a superstar because they are filling the theatres. They know their worth, they charge that price and get paid.”
Kunal Kemmu on the mathematics behind actors’ salaries
During the discussion, Kunal also talked about the “mathematics” behind how actors’ salaries are often calculated in the film business. He explained that distributors traditionally estimate how much a film can earn based on the star power associated with it.
He said, “There is a mathematics in it. That’s the mathematical part, not whether a film will work or not – that’s a different thing. Earlier, distributors knew that if I have this actor, I can sell an area for a certain amount and that becomes part of the recovery.”
Saif Ali Khan’s work front
Saif, son of veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, has married actress Kareena Kapoor. On the work front, he will be next seen in netflix period drama we indiansWhich describes the behind-the-scenes story of India’s first democratic elections. The film also stars Pratik Gandhi and is directed by Rahul Dholakia, release date has not been announced yet.
he also has Priyadarshan’s beast In the pipeline, co-starring Akshay Kumar. The shooting of the film has been completed and its release date is currently awaited. Last year Saif was seen in a Netflix film Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins.