Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
On the latest episode of Navya Naveli Nanda’s What the Hell Navya podcast, Navya, Shweta Bachchan, and Jaya Bachchan discussed the issue of pay parity between men and women, not just in the film industry, but also in the field of sports. Navya spoke about how female athletes are paid lesser than male athletes, and Shweta argued that this has been happening because nobody is making noise about it. Last month, Jay Shah, the Honorary Secretary of BCCI, said women cricketers will be paid the same match fee as the men.
Navya said, “In sports, female athletes are not paid as much as male athletes. It has happened in NBA and tennis. It happens with a lot of different sports.” Shweta found the practice to be unfair and Jaya said that this has been happening because of the ‘insecurity’ of men. Jaya said, “It’s the insecurity of a man who is sitting at the head of it. He is insecure, which is why he feels it is easier to put a woman down, in every field and in every way. It is an outcome of that kind of mindset.”
Shweta reasoned, “Maybe it’s the same thing for the movies, like a male tennis player will bring in more audience, has a bigger fan following and therefore they want him to play more.” She added that to bring about change, one will have to start a discussion around the issue. Shweta said, “The theory that men function with is, ‘If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.’ So, if nobody is talking about pay parity, just continue, how does it make a difference, they will never know. You have to voice it, you have to have people to advocate about it.”
Also, why the issue needs to be addressed now more than ever is because women are “making an equal impact as men,” Shweta asserted, adding, “Earlier, women didn’t pay attention to it because they were happier to just be a part of the story. But now, we are here, and we are making an impact and are equal to men in every way. Equal pay is not an out-of-the-way ask.”
The trio also discussed how newly-married women find it difficult to get a job because the “employers believe they will soon get pregnant and will take maternity leave.” While Navya said that this ‘bugs’ her, Shweta argued, “But think about it, what would you do with that one person missing? You will have to get that job done. So, what do you do?” Navya tried to explain to her mother: “But she can work till the sixth or seventh month of her pregnancy. It’s not like she is incapable of doing work. Maybe physically she is not capable, but she can still work from home.”
In the same episode, Jaya Bachchan also talked about women being their own enemies and Indian women wearing only Western clothes these days.
Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.
