Kriti Sanon has carved a space for herself in the film industry without any backing and is today counted among Bollywood’s A-listers. Recently, the actress candidly opened up about nepotism and reflected on the challenges she faced during her journey.
She told GQ, “Before Mimi, I went through phases of frustration…wanting to do more, knowing I was capable of more, but lacked opportunities. There were roles I came very close to that eventually went to star kids, something that was beyond my control. When you don’t come from a film background, there’s a great amount of uncertainty you have to deal with. It has been a process of gradual growth, with me taking risks and making more intentional choices. I have earned every opportunity; nothing has been handed to me.”
She stated that there was a period when multiple projects did not make the impact she was hoping for, and some career choices turned out to be mistakes that made her feel stuck. She also shed light on inequalities beyond casting, such as negotiating fees as a female lead. She shared that whenever there is cost-cutting, the woman actor’s pay often gets reduced while a large share of the budget goes to the male lead.
The actress continued, “There’s been some struggle around money. When they [producers] have to cut corners, they often negotiate down the female lead’s fee, even though a large chunk of the budget goes to the male actor. Patriarchy is still deeply ingrained in the industry, and we have to keep shaking things up to move towards equality. It shows up in the smallest ways too—for instance, there’s often a tendency on a film set to check if the female actor is ready first, so the male actor doesn’t have to wait. It’s subconscious, but it needs to change.”