Mehwish Hayat claims there is no gender pay gap in Pakistan's film industry

Actor Mehwish Hayat recently revealed that Pakistan’s film industry has left behind Bollywood and Hollywood to inculcate an equal pay culture for males and females. 

Appearing in ARY News’s show Sawal Yeh Hai, the Jawani Phir Nahi Ani was asked about the status of gender pay gap in Pakistan’s film industry and whether there’s any discrimination. She responded “It’s actually equal. What the male lead gets, we [female leads] get the sane amount as well. I am very happy about it that there’s no pay gap here.”

The 36-year-old actor shared a story to back her claim. “At a recent award function where Fahad [Mustafa] performed with me, Frieha Altaf [show director] made sure that we both are paid the same amount,” she said.

“There’s a lot of respect, there’s no [gender] pay gap and in our community, there’s a lot of understanding considering what we all go through,” she added.

The Tamgha-e-Imtiaz recipient also shared whether she feels the pressure that young actresses are entering the industry which might lead to plum roles not being offered to her. “If this was the case, Meryl Streep wouldn’t have been working today and winning so many Oscars,” she remarked.

“I think you cannot label an actor with age because for example I am doing Benazir Bhutto’s biopic, is age required for it or my acting prowess?”

Hayat has no issues with playing a mother or a grandmother on screen, for her only the story matters. She shared that her future plan is to venture into direction and make people act.