Fatima Sana Shaikh Discusses Bollywood Workplace Safety and Pay Disparity

Actor Fatima Sana Shaikh has shared her views on workplace safety in Bollywood and the ongoing debate surrounding pay parity between male and female actors.

Fatima currently stars as ACP Jasleen Singh Soin in the show Hunkkaar: The Roar, which also features Aneet Padda as Meenu Rawat. Discussing workplace safety and the abuse of power, Fatima stated that the film industry is as safe or unsafe as any other profession.

Regarding the impact of the #MeToo movement, Fatima said, "But I feel that after the MeToo movement, it has become even more safer as a place." She emphasized that acknowledging the presence of such issues across industries does not mean dismissing the pain or journeys of those who have faced harassment.

Addressing pay disparity, Fatima described the issue as a commercial and mathematical approach by producers. She noted that actors are often paid based on the audience and box office returns they are expected to generate, with male stars frequently receiving higher pay due to perceptions about larger openings.

However, Fatima questioned whether traditional box office arguments still hold, noting that only a few actors can consistently deliver major openings. Citing the success of recent films featuring newer talent, she argued that the changing box office landscape presents a favorable time to pursue equal pay.