With artistes getting their due credit in Bollywood now, superstar Kajol says it’s the best time for an actor to be in the Hindi film industry.
Kajol, 41, who made a comeback on the silver screen after a gap of five years with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Dilwale’, said Bollywood has films for every performer be it male or female dominated. “Our film industry is in a wonderful phase, where we are at right now. As actors, we have a world in front of us. “Male, female, hero, heroine and what we used to call character actors, everybody has the chance to have a film that centres around them with nobody taking away anything from anyone. Right now, it’s a nice place to be an actor,” Kajol said. Asked her opinion on the female pay disparity in Bollywood and Hollywood, the ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ star said it’s a global issue. “I think it’s definitely prevalent in Bollywood. It’s world over. It’s a male dominated business. I also think we have a Meryl Streep, who has done ‘Mamma Mia!’. We have Julia Roberts, who has done ‘Notting Hill’. I cried in ‘Skyfall’ after watching Judi Dench. We have so many actresses, who have done so much fantastic work today despite being paid less.”
Kajol said it’s completely fine for a middle-aged actress if she is not getting to play a college girl. “If you talk about typical typecast of a herione, may be they cannot currently play a 16-year-old bubbly girl and rejecting or not getting roles, that is perfectly fine. You have to find a film that works for you.” But the mother of two is happy that the scenario is different in the small screen. “TV has only women-centric shows. On these shows, men are playing the side roles.