'I'm equally good': Kareena on Bollywood pay gap
What's the story
A seasoned actor with 25 years of experience, Kareena Kapoor Khan has recently spoken about pay disparity in the industry.
Despite her illustrious career, she isn't paid as much as her male co-stars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and even husband Saif Ali Khan.
Speaking to NDTV, she said, "I'll push myself to do better so that they realize I'm equally good as my male counterparts. The ₹1,000 crore club? Koshish toh jari hai (I've been trying)."
Empowerment
She also stressed the importance of saying 'no'
Kapoor Khan stressed self-worth and the power of saying "no."
She said, "For young girls of today, saying 'no' should not make them feel that they're not confident. No means no, whether it's something you're not comfortable doing...or something you're not comfortable eating...shape, size, a job you're looking forward to..."
"If you feel if it's something less for you, one should not take it. One should be so self-assured that one can push oneself to achieve and do something better."
Career progression
Kapoor Khan's journey to being taken seriously
In a past interview with the Times of India, Kapoor Khan spoke about her struggle to be taken seriously as an actor.
She had said, "People tend to overlook an actor's gravitas if you are glamorous...I have had a glamorous image, but I've never looked at myself like that."
"I prefer to keep my ear to the ground because it's important for an actor to know the reality of a situation. I am focused on my performance."
Passionate actor
'I'm an actor who is very passionate about her job'
Kapoor Khan, who is known for her iconic roles of Poo in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Geet in Jab We Met, spoke about her love for acting.
She said, "In the last 25 years, the first decade went in people assuming that I was Poo...and the other went in people thinking I am Bhatinda ki sikhni Geet."
"Maybe I'm a mix of both. I want people to know that I'm an actor who is very passionate about her job."
Career aspirations
Kapoor Khan's future plans and career aspirations
Kapoor Khan also revealed her plans for the future, saying, "People like to see me in roles like Geet or Poo more... In the next 25 years, I will try to play more different roles."
"While I have done films with superstars, which have been hits, I have also had a career that I have simultaneously built to prove myself as an actor."
She feels the X factor mixed with talent and luck is what takes one places.