As many know, Kangana Ranaut has never been one to be shy away from putting forth her opinions, which she expresses so fervently at various platforms. This was certainly the case when, at the trailer launch of her upcoming film Panga, the actress was asked about her views on women empowerment.
Citing the gender pay gap in the Hindi film industry, which is responsible for limiting women's economic empowerment, Kangana took an indirect jibe at Taapsee Pannu, Alia Bhatt and Sonakshi Sinha over their remarks on pay disparity, wherein they had justified earning less than their male co-star.
"I have heard some successful actresses saying that they don't deserve equal pay as their male colleagues because the latter get big openings, but I believe if you won't feel empowered yourself then no film or person can make you feel empowered. You have to feel like an equal. You should tell yourself that you don't have any shortcomings," Kangana said.
"God has given me a pancreas, kidney, a heart and eyes. I am not inferior to others. All I want to tell the women that 'Look into the mirror and ask themselves why do we not feel empowered?' I think half the battle is lost when you feel undeserving. I feel you're as empowered as you think you are," the actress added.
In an interview with the Hindustan Times last year, Taapsee had said, "I can’t suddenly say that because I am acting opposite Amitabh Bachchan (Badla), Akshay Kumar (Mission Mangal) and Varun Dhawan (Judwaa 2)... I should get the same salary as theirs. Because I won’t get the audience to the theatres as much as they will."
After the first poster of Bollywood feature Mission Mangal was released earlier this year, the film drew backlash for giving Akshay Kumar more prominence than the other five female actors in the film. His face on the poster appeared greater in proportion than the women whose story Mission Mangal was about. At the time, Sonakshi had told a publication, “The fact of the matter is that Akshay Kumar is the biggest star in the film. Today, if you see Akshay’s collections, he’s the highest selling star in the entire film, that is why (his face is bigger on the poster)."
Even Alia Bhatt expressed a similar opinion about Varun Dhawan, her co-star of many films, getting paid more than her. “Investing money in a film is directly co-related to the people you are bringing to the theatre. I’m not delusional that the same number of viewers who go to watch Varun’s movies will come to see my work. He has a wider reach than me," Alia had said earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Panga is a sports drama about a mother, a wife and a forgotten Kabaddi champion. Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, the film also features Jassi Gill, Richa Chadha and Neena Gupta in pivotal roles.
The film is scheduled to hit the theatres on January 24, 2020. Watch Panga trailer below:
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