MUMBAI: The issue of pay disparity has long plagued the industry, but only in recent years have discussions about it gained traction. Female actresses have often voiced concerns about the pay disparity between women and male actors in both film and television. However, that was never a problem for Shweta Tiwari. She was regarded as one of the highest-paid female actresses in Indian television.
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She has only just started noticing that the payment structure is skewed. In a special conversation with the well-known news website, she said, “I started my career with Rs 2500-Rs 5000 per day. Back then, we used to get increments every year. So, by the time I left Kasautii Zindagii Kay, I earned Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.25 lakh a day. That’s how much progress I made. I don’t think we had to struggle so much to get the money we deserved back then.”
She adds, “When it comes to Balaji Telefilms, at least, once we negotiated and reached a common figure, they would give us increments every year. Maybe that’s also because it’s a very good production house. Aaj kal, in fact, bahot problem hoti hai when it comes to per days. I need to fight for what I deserve.”
“These days, new kids agree to do projects with very less pay. When we tell them [makers] our rate, they say that they already have options who are ready to do the same kind of work at a much lesser cost. But as actors, we need to choose between good work and good pay. That’s why I end up saying a no to many shows because the money is too less,” Shweta says candidly.
Her onscreen appearances have grown so infrequent for reasons other than money. She decided deliberately when her son was born in 2016. “I like staying at home. For a huge chunk of my life, I only kept working. I would get cheques after every 45-50 days. My morning shift would begin at 7 am and end at 7 pm and the evening shift would run from 7 pm to 7 am. I barely would get to stay home. That changed only after Reyansh was born,” Shweta reveals.
The Singham Again star talks about how she was unable to spend enough time with her daughter Palak Tiwari when she was growing up, “I couldn’t give a lot of time to my daughter. She was really young when I started working. Now that I’m properly settled, I give more time to my son. I like taking care of him, sorting out his clothes, helping him with homework. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like working. It’s just that I would take up any work that would come my way earlier. I don’t do that anymore. Agar mann ko bhaya, tabhi kaam karti hoon, nahi toh nahi.”
(Also read: Shweta Tiwari calls out ‘unrealistic’ TV shows; says, ‘It just doesn’t feel real’
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Credit-News 18
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