When Zeenat spoke about pay disparity in Bollywood

Veteran star Zeenat Aman continues to charm Instagram with her timeless beauty and heartfelt reflections on her film career. From stylish throwbacks to candid thoughts, the yesteryear diva never fails to strike a chord with fans.

A Glimpse Behind the Glamour

In one of her earlier posts, Zeenat shared a rare throwback video from the sets of ‘Qurbani’, where she was seen rehearsing for the legendary song ‘Laila O Laila’. While the video itself brought waves of nostalgia, it was her powerful caption that truly made an impact—shining a spotlight on the long-standing issue of gender pay inequality in Bollywood.
A Clip from the Late ’70s
“In the late 70s, Keith Adam from the Australian Broadcasting Commission popped by the set of ‘Qurbani’, where I was rehearsing for ‘Laila o Laila’, and snagged himself an interview,” Zeenat wrote. “It’s been nearly 50 years since this footage was shot, and the industry has changed immensely since. The roles available to women are clearly not just ornamental anymore,” she added.
‘Disparity Was Laughable’
Despite the progress in the kind of roles offered to women, Zeenat pointed out that one thing hasn’t moved forward nearly enough—pay parity. She continued: “What hasn’t changed though is the gender pay gap. In my time I was lauded as the ‘highest paid female actor’, but the disparity in the pay cheque between my male co-stars and myself was so vast it was laughable.”
Disappointed, Yet Hopeful
While her younger self may have believed change would come swiftly, Zeenat expressed her disappointment at the slow pace of progress. “The Zeenat you see in this clip was quite certain that half a century would be enough time to even the scales,” she reflected. “So it disappoints me that even today women in the film industry don’t have wage parity. Women have consistently put in the work, and I really think that the onus is now on our men—actors, directors, producers—to ensure that their female co-workers (not just stars) are paid fairly. It seems such a simple and obvious thing, and yet it would be revolutionary if any man actually did this.”