Appearing alongside his brother-in-law Kunal Kemmu on a recent podcast hosted by his sister, Soha Ali Khan, the Jewel Thief actor broke down exactly why the film industry’s pay cheques look the way they do.
Here is a complete breakdown of Saif and Kunal’s candid discussion on the math behind the money.
Saif’s Stance: Equal Stature Deserves Equal Pay 💰
The Core Rule: Saif made it clear that he fully supports pay parity, provided the actors hold the same level of box-office influence. "If the actors are of equal stature, they should be paid the same amount," he stated.
The Reality of 'Putting People in Seats': He quickly added that remuneration isn't a charity; it’s a strict business. "If you are putting people in seats in the theatre, you get paid accordingly. Everyone understands that relationship," he explained, emphasizing that a superstar's fee directly reflects their ability to guarantee an opening weekend.
Gender vs. Market Value: Dismissing the idea that the industry is deliberately shortchanging women just for being women, Saif noted: "It's not like just because you are a certain gender you deserve to be paid more or less. It's actually a very balanced economic system... They know their worth, charge that price and get paid."
Kunal Kemmu Explains the "Maths" 🧮
Kunal backed up Saif’s points by revealing how distributors and producers calculate an actor's value before the cameras even roll.
The Recovery Game: Kunal explained that distributors buy territories based purely on a star's name. A film's entire budget is often reverse-engineered around how much revenue that specific star can guarantee.
The 'Golmaal' Example: Proving that star power trumps gender, Kunal used his own franchise as an example: "When we did Golmaal, there was Kareena and five other actors. I'm sure Ajay got paid more than her, and she got paid more than all of us... The film was about the couple."
The Hollywood Parallel: Kunal pointed out that this isn't just a Bollywood issue; it's a global cinema reality. "If I'm making Mission: Impossible, I will pay Tom Cruise for that. I can't pay a female actor—even if she is Meryl Streep—that kind of money, because audiences are coming to see him."
The Generational Shift: "Patriarchy Was Stronger Before" 📈
While defending the current economic model, Saif did acknowledge the blatant unfairness of the past.
He recalled the 1970s era of his mother, veteran superstar Sharmila Tagore, and later Sridevi. Despite being incredibly popular, they were not paid anywhere near what their male co-stars (like Dharmendra) made.
However, Saif believes the tide is finally turning. He noted that today, actresses like his wife Kareena Kapoor Khan and younger stars like Ananya Panday are commanding massive fees because the audience demands them. "The world is balancing out," he concluded.
SantaBanta Verdict:
Saif Ali Khan and Kunal Kemmu just delivered a masterclass in Bollywood economics! While the fight for equal pay is incredibly valid, their point is hard to ignore: in a completely commercial industry, your pay cheque is ultimately decided by the audience buying the tickets. Until female-led action blockbusters consistently do Pathaan or Jawan numbers at the box office, this gap will likely persist.
