Gaurav Khanna on pay disparity in TV industry: Viewers’ love is my biggest paycheck

Pay disparity in the television industry is something that actors have often spoken about. However, actor Gaurav Khanna believes in putting his best foot forward instead of letting such factors play on his mind. “Disparity or no disparity of payments, I don’t understand. What I know is that you should be honest towards your work. Whatever value you are taking home, will be justified. I’m a very practical person in that scenario,” says the actor, a fan favourite for playing the beloved role of Anuj Kapadia in the TV show Anupamaa.

Khanna adds that when it comes to remuneration for his work and the fame he enjoys, there can never be any comparison. Hence, talent is the only key to making your place in any profession and not bother so much about other materialistic things.

“Every profession has its ups and lows, and a survival of the fittest scenario. The only thing which makes you survive in any industry is your talent. No matter what you can achieve a place by knowing people and by having some push, but apart from that, staying at a certain position, the grind – it’s only your talent that counts,” he adds.

Despite all the fame, asked if he personally has witnessed instances of pay disparity, and the 41-year-old says it’s very difficult to say because how would one judge.

“If I get a lot of fame and adulation, I think that’s so much more than a person who will be earning twice or even five times of what I would probably make. The love from the audiences and the accolades that I get for my performance, cannot compete with any monetary value,” he opines.

Furthermore, Khanna insists that in a creative profession like acting, there’s no way to judge pay disparity. “You see why acting is such a sought-after profession is because people [here] earn a lot. Though there no recognition, acknowledgement or accolades outside their own arena of work. At the end of the day, we are in a creative profession, and creativity has no measuring unit. You cannot say that if you smile this much, then you should get paid this much,” he explains.

Having said that, he agrees that some people do make a lot of hullabaloo out of it topics like pay disparity. “But, I’ve never judged my work that way. I’ve always looked at it from the lens if my viewers like me or not. That is the biggest paycheck you can take home because that money never wanders,” Khanna concludes.