There is a considerable pay disparity in the film industry and Radhika Apte says this will only change when the audiences start accepting A-list female actors as superstars.
The actor says she is aware of the fact that many of her male co-stars earn more than her for the same job.
In an interview with PTI, Apte says, “There is a lot of inequality. I’m friends with all my contemporaries. I know who gets paid what. My male friends get three times more pay than me. We have so many male superstars, but there are just a few female actors who have attained that status.
“It is not only because of the industry, it’s in the society. If films starring Deepika or Priyanka will start working like a Salman Khan movie, we will start having female superstars. People still can’t digest the fact or imagine that a female actor can be a superstar.”
Apte, however, is happy that the things are changing and some filmmakers are writing more parts for women. “But still there is a long way to go,” she adds.
Apte was last seen opposite actor Rajinikanth in Kabali , which released in July 2016.
The actor has been missing from the big screen for quite some time now, but she says it is important for an artiste to take a break from industry’s gruelling schedule. “For an actor, it is necessary to vegetate and look for inspiration. I get that from travelling, meeting people and observing things around me. I bring back my energy by gaining different experiences. Taking a break and evolving as a person is important for me.”
Apte on Friday walked for designer Sailesh Singhania in a traditional brocade outfit at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2017.
Talking about her personal style, the actor says, “I like to be in a comfortable zone. What I am wearing makes me feel like a princess. I never wear such things in personal life. It is a good change for me.”
