Be it the length of the role or the remuneration, she had pointed out, there's huge discrimination.
And now, just a week before Dilwale's release, the film's heroine, Kajol, has seconded Anushka's claims. Talking to SpotboyE this afternoon, the feisty actress who has completed over two decades in Bollywood says, "There is no denying that there is a pay-gap issue in Bollywood. I believe it has a lot to do with the economics of the industry. I also believe that the blame should squarely fall on the society."
She adds, "There is deep-rooted gender-inequality in our society. We need to first recognise that and come up with a way to bridge that gap before coming up with ways of ensuring equal pay standards for men and women."
However, there's no gender-inequality at home. Kajol asserts that her actor-husband Ajay Devgn has been extremely supportive and volunteered to take care of the kids (Nysa and Yug) while she shot for the film abroad. "I hate outdoors. But Ajay was extremely understanding. He asked me, "Tujhe film pasand hai na? Tujhe karni hai na? Toh Tu kar. I became very melodramatic and worried about the kids, but he assured me that he'll take care of them. I couldn't have done the film without his support. I think that is true love!"
The actress gets emotional while describing how her daughter Nysa has played an important role in her taking up Dilwale. "Nysa was like, 'Mum, I know you love me, but that doesn't mean you can't love anything else.' This gave me the confidence to work, but the filmy mom that I am, I started crying," she recalls.
About her co-star Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol says that like always, working with him has been a learning experience. "He is in an extremely happy space. Whenever we shoot a film together, I come home having learnt something new about the craft of filmmaking. Something I pick up from him, I use it in the next film of mine," she says, smiling.
Dilwale is gearing up for a December 18 release and will clash with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone-starrer Bajirao Mastani. Asked what's her take on the controversial war, Mrs Devgn replies, "I don't believe in the rat-race at all. I believe there is more than enough for everybody to go around. And God willing, if they are good films, both Dilwale and Bajirao Mastani will do well."
Image Source: Manav Manglani, Jollyhoo, imgarcade & twitter/RedChilliesEnt