Rs 45 Lakh vs Rs 45 Thousand: Varun Grover Unmasks Stunning Pay Gap in Bollywood

In a shocking revelation that has shook the Indian film industry to the core, award-winning writer and lyricist Varun Grover has come forth regarding the humongous pay gap between Bollywood actors and writers. The gap? A whopping Rs 45 lakh per episode against a paltry Rs 45 thousand—for the very same content.

Speaking during a roundtable discussion of writers held in Mumbai, Grover revealed a very personal anecdote that illustrates the ingrained inequality in the Indian film and OTT world. “Farhan Akhtar was paid Rs 45 lakh an episode for delivering jokes that I had written. I was paid Rs 45 thousand.” That is not a typo. That was my fee for writing the episode,” Grover spilled the beans.

This bombshell has set off a passionate argument regarding the valuation of creative labor, or more specifically writers, of Bollywood and the Indian entertainment industry at large. The event, according to reports, goes back to Grover’s work in a big television or web show—though he did not mention the name of the particular show, the context and scale indicate a high-budget, star-studded production.

Grover’s remark has a more profound bite—on top of the figures, but also in emotion. “The actor’s work is to recite dialogue which somebody else conjured up. Somebody else sweated over. Writers bring characters to life. Without us, there is nothing. No tale, no joke, no tears. But the camera is aimed at the actor, and so is the cash,” he complained, visibly agitated.

Writers throughout India have long complained about being underpaid and under-credited, but Grover’s candid revelation has blown the lid off a systemic problem. Social media exploded in support. #JusticeForWriters started trending on X (formerly Twitter), with numerous well-known screenwriters, lyricists, and directors responding similarly.

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha posted,

“That one of the most revered writers in the country has to put up with such ridiculous inequalities is shameful. Time for change.”

Actor Swara Bhasker posted,

“Varun’s honesty is brutal. Writers are the backbone of any show. Rs 45K? That’s shameful.”

This episode is not merely about a single individual’s paycheck. It has set off an industry-wide reflection. Writers are usually among the first to come aboard a project and the last to be heralded—if anybody. Even though they play the key role in story creation, script building, dialogue crafting, and even establishing the emotional tone, they are dealt with as if they are backend service providers.

According to industry insiders, star power continues to monopolize the budget, leaving crumbs for creative contributors. One anonymous writer disclosed:

“I wrote an entire 10-episode show for Rs 3 lakhs total. Meanwhile, the lead actor charged Rs 7 crore. We worked the same hours. I bled over that script.”

While Varun Grover’s comment has made headlines today, the question is whether this will lead to systemic change or be another passing outrage. The Screenwriters Association (SWA) has called for a roundtable with big production houses to reassess writer agreements, increase minimum pay, and have proper credit.

Varun Grover, the National Award-winning writer of Sacred Games, Masaan, and Dum Laga Ke Haisha, is not unknown to speaking against industry hypocrisy. But this piece of information has hit a raw nerve, revealing an old wound that will not heal.

While Bollywood wallows in box office billions and streaming giants reap global eyeballs, the people who make the very shows people binge-watch can barely afford to make ends meet. If the writer of the jokes is earning 100 times less than the joker, perhaps we need to re-write the rule book.

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