For the first time in Indian cinema, an actor will be seen getting paid more than the male superstars in her film. With so much conversation about pay scale, Deepika Padukone has reversed the wage gap with Padmavati.
Deepika, who will be next seen playing the titular role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati, will literally be writing history in Indian cinema with her historic film. As opposed to the usual norm of actors bagging a heavier pay cheque than the female actor, Padmavati has Deepika take home the highest remuneration.
According to sources, “There are a lot of speculations about the pay structure of ‘Padmavati’. However, Sanjay Sir was clear that the film belongs to Deepika. The film is mounted on its female protagonist Deepika Padukone with the title being a testimony of the actress’ investment in the project. As for the remuneration, Deepika has taken home a whopping Rs. 13 crore, while Ranveer and Shahid share equal digits that read close to Rs. 10 crores respectively.”
This reverse pay scale of Padmavati sets a new precedent in Bollywood, owing to Deepika’s stardom and primacy of her role. Padmavati is a periodic film that tells the story of Alauddin Khilji, the medieval-era Delhi ruler, who was infatuated with Rajput queen Padmavati. In Padmavati, Deepika plays the titular role of Rani Padmini and Ranveer essays the role of Alauddin Khilji. Shahid will be seen as Rawal Ratan Singh in the period drama. The film is slated to hit the theaters in November this year.
