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Sonarika Bhadoria says she was ‘kicked out’ of hit show after asking for pay hike even as male co-star's salary was tripled
Sonarika Bhadoria spoke about pay disparity in the entertainment industry, recalling that she was replaced after seeking a raise on a successful TV show.
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Actor Sonarika Bhadoria, best known for playing Goddess Parvati in the popular mythological show Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev, recently spoke about facing pay disparity in the television industry. During an episode of Hauterrfly's Male Feminist podcast, Sonarika revealed that she was replaced after asking for a pay hike.
Sonarika Bhadoria on pay parity in TV and films
Without naming the show, its actors or producers, Sonarika recalled a time when she had been working on a television show for a year. She said the show had gained higher TRPs over time and added, “Forget about GRP, TRPs were so good that the channel gave us a party. You would ask for appreciation or an increment. But on this they asked me, 'No, on what basis are you asking for a hike?'”
She then recalled that her male co-star's salary was tripled when he threatened to leave the show. Sonarika said she learnt about the disparity from someone in the production team. She added, “I was replaced and kicked out of the show for asking for more. And I didn't even know I was getting replaced. When TRPs were high, the male counterpart would threaten to leave the show, so they increased his salary three-fold, but they didn't increase my salary even once.”
Sonarika, who has also worked in Telugu films such as Jadoogadu, Speedunnodu and Eedo Rakam Aado Rakam, as well as the Tamil film Indrajith, revealed that pay disparity was prevalent in Tollywood and Kollywood too. She said that male actors, even newcomers, were offered hefty pay cheques because audiences considered them their heroes, while actors with several years of experience in the Hindi television industry were paid considerably less. She also described films as a hero-centric medium.
About Sonarika Bhadoria
Sonarika made her television debut with Tum Dena Saath Mera in 2011. However, it was her portrayal of Goddess Parvati opposite Mohit Raina, who played Lord Shiva, in Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev that brought her widespread recognition. She later appeared in shows such as Ishq Mein Marjawan, Prithvi Vallabh: Itihaas Bhi, Rahasya Bhi and Dastaan-E-Mohabbat: Salim Anarkali.
Sonarika made her film debut with the Telugu film Jadoogadu in 2015 and went on to feature in films such as Speedunnodu, Eedo Rakam Aado Rakam, Indrajith and the Hindi horror film Saansein: The Last Breath. She later appeared in the Hindi film Hindutva (2022).
She has since taken a break from films and television. Sonarika married businessman Vikas Parashar in February 2024 after dating him for several years. In 2025, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter. The actor has since been sharing glimpses of her motherhood journey on social media.
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