In the past, we’ve seen many actress open up on pay disparity within the movie industry – whether it’s the south or Hindi cinema. That is an issue which many continue to raise. And now, actress-producer Pallavi Joshi recently has revealed the gender pay gap that prevailed in the television industry during the 1990s. She said that despite being among the most sought-after actresses of the time, she earned significantly less than her male counterparts.Pallavi recalled a period when she and actor Shekhar Suman were considered the highest-paid stars on Indian television. Sharing an anecdote from that era, she said during a chat with IANS, “I will tell you there was a time when there was a magazine cover page that had Shekhar Suman’s and my photograph. I think because Shekhar Suman and I were the highest-paid actors of television back in those days.”However, she pointed out that even at the peak of her television career, her remuneration was nowhere near that of Shekhar. Highlighting the unequal pay structure that existed in the industry, Pallavi stated, “Shekhar Suman used to get twice the amount that I got. In spite of me being the highest-paid television actress, I was still paid half the price of what he was paid. That says it all.”Pallavi Joshi was one of the most celebrated faces on Indian television in the late 1980s and 1990s, earning acclaim for her performances in popular shows such as ‘Mriganayani’, ‘Talaash’ and ‘Aarohan’. Known for choosing powerful, content-driven roles, she built a reputation as one of the industry’s most respected performers. Meanwhile, Shekhar Suman enjoyed immense popularity during the same period through hit television shows including ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’, ‘Wah Janaab’ and ‘Movers & Shakers’.On the work front, she has recently been garnering praise for her performance in the newly released series ‘Margao Files’.
