Shehnaaz Gill reveals why she now refuses to work without fair pay: ‘Did work for free, but uski izzat nahi mili’

Unlike her early years in the industry, actor Shehnaaz Gill confessed that she is no longer willing to take on projects without being paid.

Actor Shehnaaz Gill has candidly spoken about the realities of navigating the entertainment industry, revealing that she has worked on projects without charging a fee in the past, only to realise that the gesture did not earn her the respect she had hoped for. Shehnaaz said remuneration has now become a non-negotiable factor before she signs a film. She added that she often has to fight for the fee she believes she deserves.

Shehnaaz Gill made her Bollywood debut alongside Salman Khan in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan.

Shehnaaz gets candid

In an interview with News18, Shehnaaz reflected on her career journey and revealed that financial compensation now plays an important role in the projects she chooses.

“Money is very important. It gives you respect. When I ask for what I deserve today, I sometimes get that, sometimes I don’t and sometimes it’s lesser than what I quote for myself. But har kisi ko apne haq ke liye ladna chahiye (Everyone should fight for one’s own right). I work really hard and I’ve been through a lot to reach the place that I’m in today," said Shehnaaz, who recently had a release with Ishqnama.

Unlike her early years in the industry, she no longer seems willing to take on projects without being paid.

Shehnaaz shared, “Yes, there was a time when I did a lot of work for free. But uski mujhe izzat nahi mili. Maine logo ke liye itna kuch kiya hai (I didn’t get any respect for that. I did so much for so many people). But now, I do fight for what I deserve. I compromise only on ocassions when the film that I’ve been offered is really good… Sometimes, you know that they won’t pay you well but you still get into it knowing that the script is meaningful. But if you ask me if I’ve ever done a project just for money by compromising on the quality of the work, I’ll have to tell you that I’ve never done that.”

When it comes to films, Shehnaaz asserted that she doesn’t let money come in the way.

More about Shehnaaz Gill

Shehnaaz initially rose to fame in the Punjabi entertainment industry before gaining widespread recognition for her appearance on Bigg Boss 13 and her closeness with late actor Sidharth Shukla. She transitioned to Bollywood with her debut in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, alongside Salman Khan, Pooja Hegde, Venkatesh Daggubati, and Bhumika Chawla in 2013.

She also featured in Thank You For Coming, featuring Bhumi Pednekar, Dolly Singh, Kusha Kapila, and Shibani Bedi, which premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). She also appeared in the music video for the song Sajna Ve Sajna from the 2024 film Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, which starred Triptii Dimri and Rajkummar Rao. She was also seen in Ikk Kudi.