Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit believes that achieving pay parity in Hindi cinema remains a distant goal, as female actors must constantly prove their ability to attract audiences to theatres.
Dixit, known for films like “Tezaab”, “Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!”, and “Devdas” among others, participated in a session titled “The Journey of Women in Cinema” at the 2025 IIFA Weekend. She was joined by Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga, who had just returned from the 2025 Academy Awards.
“For women, the challenge is to continuously demonstrate that they are equal and capable of drawing audiences, yet they have to prove it every single time. The pay gap still exists,” said Dixit, who recently appeared in “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3”. She described the progress as gradual, with small steps forward, but acknowledged that the industry still has a long way to go in achieving equality.
Monga emphasised the need for greater opportunities for women, stating that the burden of proving themselves is disproportionately high. “There is a clear pay gap, and women often have to work ten times harder to achieve the same recognition. I feel male actors should be asked these questions as well, instead of the responsibility always falling on women,” she said.
Using “Stree 2″—one of the highest-grossing Hindi films—as an example, Monga highlighted the potential for female-led films and urged the industry to take more chances on women artistes.
Dixit reflected on her career, noting that she had always played strong female roles. She particularly enjoyed working on “Mrityudand”, a film that challenged stereotypes and promoted women’s empowerment. Despite being advised against taking up the project, she insisted on doing it, as it resonated with her beliefs.
She also pointed out the significant shift in the industry over the years, recalling how, early in her career, the only women on set were actors and hairdressers. She stated, “Today, women are present in various departments, including direction, cinematography, and writing, marking a positive change.”
However, Monga stressed that more work remains to be done. She shared troubling statistics, revealing that less than three percent of directors and under nine percent of crew members in cinema are women. Additionally, she noted a concerning trend where female cinematographers are often hired for low-budget films but are overlooked for bigger projects.
The silver jubilee edition of the IIFA Awards will take place over the weekend, hosted by Karan Johar and Kartik Aaryan, with performances from Shah Rukh Khan, Karisma Kapoor, and Kareena Kapoor Khan. (Agencies)
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