Anita Hassanandani opens up on pay cut after returning to TV: ‘I got less than what I used to get’

Anita Hassanandani discussed the pay cuts television actors are facing, noting that budgets have decreased and many actors are willing to work for less.

Television actor Anita Hassanandani is currently riding high on success after winning the reality show Chhoriyan Chali Gaon. The actor, who has delivered several hit shows such as Kkavyanjali, Kasamh Se, and Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, returned to television after a four-year hiatus with Suman Indori. However, in a recent podcast with Hindi Rush, Anita revealed that after her return, she was paid less than what she used to earn earlier.

Anita Hassanandani on TV actors being paid less

Anita Hassanandani talks about getting low pay after her comeback. (Instagram/anitahassanandani)

Anita shared how television actors today are being paid significantly less compared to what they used to earn earlier. She said, “Pehle jitna milta tha TV actors ko, ab utna nahi milta hai because budgets have gone down. Itne saare shows hai and itne saare mediums. And also, there are actors who are working for less amount, so people think paise bachao (now TV actors don't get that much because budgets have gone down as there are so many shows and mediums. People think save money).”

She went on to talk about her personal experience, saying, “All of this started post-Covid, as everyone had reasons that due to Covid there were losses. When I came back, I got less than what my per-day pay used to be.” Despite the pay cut, Anita said she chose to accept the project as her priority was to get back to work, not money.

Anita Hassanandani’s recent work

Most recently, Anita appeared in Chhoriyan Chali Gaon, hosted by Rannvijay Singha. The reality show placed eleven urban female celebrities in a rural Indian village, challenging them to adapt to traditional lifestyles without modern comforts. Contestants had to perform tasks such as milking buffaloes, cooking on a chulha (traditional stove), and fetching water from wells. Anita emerged as the winner of the show.