Many actresses including Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut and Deepika Padukone have been rather vocal about the gender-based income disparity in Bollywood, in recent times. Several male actors have also agreed but Salman Khan seems to be in strong disagreement. Speaking to the Hindustan Times, the Dabangg star considers this whole discussion to be ‘bulls**t talk’.
“The question is, who is pulling those people into the theatres?” asks Khan while adding, “If a female star is getting those many people and the producer is making money, the exhibitor and distributor are all making money, then obviously they (female actors) will get that much money. But if it’s a male star, then he will get it.”
Salman also pointed out that there are many male actors who earn less than many female actors, and that’s only because of the influence these ladies command at the box office.
There are so many male stars who get a lot less than many female stars. There are male stars in the Rs 1-3 Crore bracket, and there are lots of female stars in the Rs 5-7 Crore bracket...that’s also there, right? Uske bare mein koi kyun nahi bolta? So this whole female stars (vs) male stars debate is bulls**t. Whoever is selling, and as much as he or she is selling, will get (paid) that much.
— Salman Khan, Actor
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