Kangana Ranaut reveals she isn’t ‘underpaid’ when asked about pay parity in film industry: ‘All men have helped me’

Actor Kangana Ranaut has opened up about pay parity in the film industry and in other fields. In a new interview, Kangana has revealed that she isn’t underpaid and credited ‘all the men’ for helping her through her journey. Kangana also spoke about her ‘lower points’ when she refused a lot of ‘male-centric films, Khan-led films or Kumar-led films’. (Also Read | Kangana Ranaut says Ajay Devgn is ‘not wrong’ in debate on Hindi: ‘It’s our national language according to Constitution’)

Kangana will be seen next in Dhaakad where she will play an assassin. Helmed by Razneesh Ghai, Dhaakad also stars Arjun Rampal and Divya Dutta. It will hit the theatres on May 20. The film is produced by Soham Rockstar Entertainment Pvt Ltd in association with Kamal Mukut, Sohel Maklai Productions and Asylum Films.

In an interview with Free Press Journal, she replied to a question on pay parity. “I am sure I am not underpaid. This makes me feel all the men have helped me through this journey. Earlier, at times, I did think, why don’t I get paid equally like the heroes at this stage of my life? But now, happily, I can say that I am not underpaid,” she said. Kangana also said that Rekha and Hema Malini have made way for the privileges that female actors ‘enjoy today as leading ladies’. She added that it is actors’ duty now to take it higher, ‘where we don’t only get the privileges of leading ladies, but the privileges of a hero on set’.

The actor also spoke about the low points in her career. She said, “I have had my own fair share of lower points when I refused a lot of male-centric films, you know, Khan-led films or Kumar-led films, all kinds of big hero films. I always had this vision that this (pointing towards the Dhaakad poster) is possible. Of course, I did not plan it, but I had the vision. I can’t execute it alone; you need somebody like Razneesh Ghai and (producers) Deepak Mukut and Sohel Maklai. I’d say that for a woman to have a successful journey, so many men support her. So, it is a combination of many things.”

Recently, Kangana disclosed that she will come up with her solo directorial project, which she will star in and produce as well. Her debut film as a producer Tiku Weds Sheru starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Avneet Kaur in lead roles is slated for release this year. She will also produce her upcoming projects Emergency and Manikarnika Returns: The Legend Of Didda. Apart from these, Kangana’s upcoming projects include Tejas and The Incarnation: Sita. Currently, she is hosting the OTT reality show Lock Upp.