Pay Parity A Distant Goal: Madhuri Dixit on Bollywood

Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit believes achieving pay parity in Hindi cinema is still a distant goal, as women must continually prove their ability to attract audiences. Speaking at the session "The Journey of Women in Cinema" during the 2025 IIFA Weekend in Jaipur, Dixit, known for hits like Tezaab and Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, highlighted the persistent gender disparity. "Women have to prove themselves every single time to show we are equal and can draw crowds," said the Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 star. "It’s baby steps—we’re still far from closing the gap."

Dixit was joined by Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga, fresh from the 2025 Academy Awards. Monga emphasized the need for more opportunities for women, citing Stree 2—Hindi cinema’s highest-grossing film—as proof of their potential. "People need to take more chances on women artists," she urged, questioning why the burden of addressing pay gaps often falls on women. "Male actors should answer this too," she added.

Reflecting on her career, Dixit noted she was fortunate to portray strong female characters in films like Beta, Dil To Pagal Hai, and Mrityudand. She particularly cherished Mrityudand for its empowering narrative, despite warnings against taking the "art film" role as a commercial star. "I wanted to do it—it was about a woman standing up for herself," she said.

Dixit also observed a shift in the industry. "Earlier, women on set were just actors or hairdressers. Now, I see them as ADs, DOPs, writers—everywhere," she said. However, Monga pointed to grim statistics: less than 3% of directors and 9% of crew members are women. "We’re born in patriarchy, learning feminism daily," she concluded. The IIFA silver jubilee, hosted by Karan Johar and Kartik Aaryan, continues this weekend with performances by Shah Rukh Khan and others.