Kriti Sanon slams sexism in film industry: ‘I’m not upset even if I get a smaller room or car, but don’t make me feel less’

Kriti Sanon has spoken candidly about the sexism she has witnessed in the Hindi film industry, saying that women are often looked at differently from their male counterparts, even when they show the same level of involvement in their work.

During a conversation with Lilly Singh on her YouTube channel, the actress opened up about her journey as an outsider and shared how actresses are judged more critically for behavior that is often appreciated in male stars.Kriti admitted that Bollywood has evolved over the years, with stronger, more layered roles now being written for women. However, she believes that some deep-rooted biases still exist on film sets.

According to her, female actresses are often taken for granted, while assistant directors and crew members tend to be more cautious and respectful towards male stars.

Looking back on her career, Kriti said that the film industry was the most difficult environment in which she worked, compared to modeling and engineering college. She recalled that when she entered Bollywood, the opportunities for women were very limited, with most mainstream films revolving around male heroes and female characters largely limited to romantic roles.

While she feels the situation has improved significantly, Kriti said subtle forms of sexism still surface in everyday interactions on set.She pointed out the way curiosity and engagement are interpreted differently depending on the gender of the actor. Kriti, who likes to fully understand her scenes and characters, said she is often fired for asking too many questions, while male actors are praised for doing the same.“When an actress asks questions, it’s like ‘Kitneawal poochti hai yeh, arey 50awal shuru ho jaayenge (She’s asking a lot of questions. Here we go, she’s about to start asking 50 questions.)'” I think there is a conversation like this. Versus, a male star asks questions, and is described as very involved. It happened to me. When I asked the same questions, I was told: ‘Don’t over-analyze it.'” Kriti said, “But when it came from Man, they said, ‘Okay, this can be done.'”Kriti Sanon went on to explain that sexism on sets is often subtle rather than overt. According to the actor, the difference in treatment can sometimes be reflected in daily arrangements, such as rooms or vehicles allocated to actors and actresses.She stressed that the issue is not about obtaining better facilities, but rather about being treated with equal respect. Kriti said it is frustrating that such differences make actresses feel less appreciated than their male counterparts.She added, “A lot of times it’s small things like the type of car or room that was given to the male actor and the type of room that was provided to me. My point is that I don’t feel bothered even if I get a smaller room or car, but it doesn’t make me feel less. Even advertisements have a tendency to call girls first on set. They don’t realize that they are more afraid of male actors and sometimes they take female actors for granted.”Her comments contribute to a larger discussion about gender inequality in the film industry, and highlight how women continue to face different expectations and treatment on set, even as the industry evolves. Kriti suggested that these biases are often embedded in routine interactions, where identical behavior from male and female actors is perceived differently.On the work front, Kriti was recently seen in the film Cocktail 2.