Speaking at the trailer launch of her production Secret Superstar, filmmaker Kiran Rao said that it was shameful that unequal pay for women still exists in this era. Speaking to PTI News, as reported by India Today, Rao said:
“Historically, girls and women have been suppressed. It’s known to all that for 1,000 years, women have been given secondary position. Not in India, but in other parts of the world women got voting rights much later. All over the world, women have to struggle to get their rights and recognition. If we talk about pay, the fact that women have to fight for equal pay for equal work is shameful.”
She also said that women shouldn’t stop dreaming or working towards their goal. In fact, that happens to be the message of her film.
“Don’t be scared to desire or want things. It’s your right to have freedom, to follow your heart and dreams,” she said.
Unequal pay is a reality in several countries, including India. According to the ‘Men and Women in India 2016‘ report by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, there is a 25 % difference in the wages of women and men. The National Sample Survey of 2011-12 also states that the average wage or salary received per day by regular wage or salaried employees between the age group of 15-59 years is Rs 201.56 (rural) and Rs 366.15 (urban) for females and is lower than that of males who get paid Rs 322.23 (rural) and Rs 469.87 (urban).
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Rao isn’t the first industry member to call out pay inequality. Actress Juhi Chawla, in a 2016 interview with Livemint, spoke of how the pay gap is partly a consequence of the industry being male dominated. While actresses from south Indian cinema haven’t been vocal on the subject, actresses like Kangana Ranaut have said that their paychecks are a “small step” towards pay equality.
Rao is also the producer of Dangal, a film on the Phogat family and how they inspired women across the country to take up wrestling. Rao says Secret Superstar follows a similar storyline of hardships faced by young Insu, played by Zaira Wasim.
The film is slated to release on October 9.