Sharmila Tagore – Bridge pay gap for men, women in film industry

At a time when women are seen in lead roles onscreen, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore on Tuesday said the difference in wages of male and female actors still exists in the Hindi film industry.

Sharmila said the portrayal of women in cinema has changed over the decades and they are increasingly grabbing meaty roles. However, the pay gap still remains.

“There is no parity. Men actors are still getting more and women actors are getting less… So that needs to change. In my time, the difference was much more. In my time, we (women) definitely played a secondary role. Now the perception has changed,” Sharmila told the media here at the 21st Kolkata International Film Festival.

Citing examples like “Piku” and Zoya Akhtar’s “Dil Dhadakne Do”, the “Aradhna” actress said things are changing for women in the film industry.

“Things are changing and it will take time. But we need not despair,” she said.

However, Sharmila, the mother of actors Saif Ali Khan and Soha, did mention that some films continue portraying women as secondary characters.

Inputs by IANS