While pay disparity has always been an issue plaguing the industry, the conversation surrounding it gained ground only in the last few years. Be it film or television, female actors have frequently raised their voices on the gap that exists in the remuneration between them and their male counterparts. But for Shweta Tiwari, that never was an issue. In fact, she was known to be one of the highest-paid female actors on Indian television.
It’s only recently that she has begun to notice the skewed pay structure. In an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, she tells us, “I started my career with Rs 2500-Rs 5000 per day. Back then, we used to get increments every year. So, by the time I left Kasautii Zindagii Kay, I earned Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.25 lakh a day. That’s how much progress I made. I don’t think we had to struggle so much to get the money we deserved back then.”
She adds, “When it comes to Balaji Telefilms, at least, once we negotiated and reached a common figure, they would give us increments every year. Maybe that’s also because it’s a very good production house. Aaj kal, in fact, bahot problem hoti hai when it comes to per days. I need to fight for what I deserve.”
So, what does she think has caused this shift? “These days, new kids agree to do projects with very less pay. When we tell them [makers] our rate, they say that they already have options who are ready to do the same kind of work at a much lesser cost. But as actors, we need to choose between good work and good pay. That’s why I end up saying a no to many shows because the money is too less,” Shweta says candidly.
Money, however, isn’t the only reason why her onscreen appearances have become so sporadic. It was, in fact, a conscious call she took when her son was born in 2016. “I like staying at home. For a huge chunk of my life, I only kept working. I would get cheques after every 45-50 days. My morning shift would begin at 7 am and end at 7 pm and the evening shift would run from 7 pm to 7 am. I barely would get to stay home. That changed only after Reyansh was born,” Shweta reveals.
Talking about how she couldn’t spend ample time with her daughter Palak Tiwari during her growing up years, the Singham Again actor states, “I couldn’t give a lot of time to my daughter. She was really young when I started working. Now that I’m properly settled, I give more time to my son. I like taking care of him, sorting out his clothes, helping him with homework. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like working. It’s just that I would take up any work that would come my way earlier. I don’t do that anymore. Agar mann ko bhaya, tabhi kaam karti hoon, nahi toh nahi.”
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