Bhumi Pednekar on Bollywood pay disparity, being offered a film with 5% of male co-star's fee

Pay disparity is a reality and Bollywood actresses have not shied away from addressing it. Many like Deepika Padukone and Taapsee Pannu have addressed the issue in the past, also adding that they started their own production house to tackle the problem. Bhumi Pednekar is the latest to talk about the same, further revealing that there was a point where she was just paid 5% of her co-star's fee. Here's everything she said...

Bhumi Pednekar reveals she was not spared of pay disparity in Bollywood

Bhumi Pednekar was speaking at Ideas of India 2025, where she recalled how her co-star, who started his career around the same time as hers, was being paid much more in comparison. She reveals being offered the movie at 5% pay of the very co-star's fees.

Also read: Mere Husband Ki Biwi box office collection day 1: Chhaava storm gives little room to Arjun Kapoor starrer

Bhumi Pednekar on pay disparity

The actress recalled how her male counterpart earned 80% more the salary in comparison. "We were leading the film together, yet he got 80 per cent more. I did that film because I didn’t have a choice," she shared, acknowledging how it happens even outside of the film industry, even at the level of a CEO (pay disparity in male CEO in comparison to female CEO).

Bhumi Pednekar acknowledged casting couch is likely to exist

Apart from pay disparity, the Mere Husband Ki Biwi actress also opened up on the casting couch. Bhumi, who stepped into the acting world after working with YRF as a casting director, did speak of not personally experiencing casting couch at any point but never negating the experience of many other women who have spoken on the topic. She believes that the casting couch could exist, since corruption in every industry is also a rotten reality.

Also read: From The Ba***ds of Bollywood to The Royals: Much-awaited series and films from Netflix India

Bhumi Pednekar on the work front

Bhumi's movie Mere Husband Ki Biwi is out in theatres and is receiving mixed reviews. Even though it saw a poor Friday, the film picked up on its first Saturday.

She is now set to make her web series debut with Daldal. The actress plays the role of a DCP whose past and present both have demons. She is also a part of Netflix's The Royals, apart from Sanki and Takht.