25th April 2023, Mumbai: When Kareena Kapoor Khan reportedly asked for 12 crores to play Sita in the Ramayana, it caused quite a stir. Leading celebrities calling for salary equality include Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, and Katrina Kaif. Actress Madhoo, who is most known for her role in Phool Aur Kaante, has now broken her silence and stated that due to their popularity, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, and Alia Bhatt all deserve greater salaries.
The days when women were merely used as eye candy in films are long gone. Deepika Padukone currently shares action parts in movies like Pathaan with actors like John Abraham and Shah Rukh Khan. The first female superhero movie ever will star Katrina Kaif and Ali Abbas Zafar. However, one problem that seems to never go away is the pay gap between them and their male colleagues.
Actress Madhoo from Phool Aur Kaante is currently discussing the changes in Bollywood’s salary discrepancy. If a movie is successful, she said, “Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar will have successful films, and if a movie is unsuccessful, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar will have unsuccessful films.” Never once was I the target of blame. My market lasted for ten years, and I was busy making worthwhile pictures. Some were successes, and the jodi received accolades. I never questioned it because nobody criticised me for any of my films. But kudos to the young women who are presently challenging it.”
“Actresses like Kangana Ranaut, Deepika Padukone, and Alia Bhatt are attracting audiences to theatres, thus they should unquestionably demand better pay,” said Madhoo. “Deepika has the right to request payment if guests are coming to see her. People in my generation came to see Ajay-Madhoo, Akshay-Madhoo, and so on. Since it was the truth, I never questioned it.”
Kangana Ranaut, Deepika Padukone, and Alia Bhatt have all previously stated that they are deserving of equal pay since they are aware of their value.
Indian actress Madhoo Shah (also known as Madhubala) is most known for her roles in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada-language films. She appeared in films such as Phool Aur Kaante (1991), Roja (1992), Allari Priyudu (1992), Yodha (1992), and S. Shankar’s 1993 Tamil blockbuster Gentleman.