Wamiqa Gabbi is not staying silent anymore. The actor, known for her impressive range and choice of unconventional roles, recently opened up about the persistent gender pay gap in the film industry.
Speaking candidly in an interview with Zoom, she highlighted the unfair system where female actors are consistently paid less than their male counterparts, no matter their talent or contribution.
“The fact that pay disparity exists doesn’t consume me,” Wamiqa said. “But there’s always this undercurrent. You’re a woman, so you’ll be paid less. That’s just how it is. They say male actors can pull a bigger crowd, but how do you even make a film without the heroine?”
Her frustration with this skewed logic was palpable. She questioned the industry’s blind trust in male-led films. “Sometimes they cast a male star and pay him crores, and then the film flops. But no one talks about reducing his fee after that. Why doesn’t their fee take a hit?”
Rather than wallowing in the unfairness, Wamiqa is taking matters into her own hands. She’s on a mission to close the pay gap, on her terms.
“I want to find creative ways to earn that money. I want to do it in a way that makes me happier. I can’t deny that pay disparity is real, but not every ‘male-centric’ film can function without a female lead,” she added.
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Starting out with a blink-and-miss role in ‘Jab We Met’ (2007), Wamiqa Gabbi rose through the ranks with notable performances in Punjabi hits like ‘Tu Mera 22 Main Tera 22’, ‘Nikka Zaildar 2’ and ‘Kali Jotta’. She didn’t limit herself to one language or region either—dabbling in Tamil (‘Maalai Naerathu Mayakkam’), Malayalam (‘Godha’), and later, making waves in Hindi streaming content.
Her performances in ‘Grahan’ and ‘Mai: A Mother’s Rage’, both helmed by Vishal Bhardwaj, won her critical acclaim. But 2023 marked a turning point.
Her role as a struggling actress in the period drama series ‘Jubilee’ showcased her depth as a performer, and her layered portrayal in ‘Khufiya’ as the wife of a spy earned her a Filmfare OTT Award.
Fast forward to 2025, Wamiqa is basking in the commercial success of the fantasy comedy ‘Bhool Chuk Maaf’.