Varun Grover: Farhan Akhtar got 100 times my pay for delivering my jokes

Renowned for his incisive wit and impactful screenplays, Varun Grover, the creative force behind projects like 'All India Rank' and 'Masaan,' recently shed light on the stark financial chasm within the entertainment industry during an interview with The Lallantop. The multi-talented artist, who began his career crafting scripts for television before rising as a celebrated stand-up comedian and lyricist, recounted a pivotal experience that exposed this imbalance.

Grover disclosed his tenure as a scriptwriter for the popular show 'Oye! It's Friday!', hosted by the versatile Farhan Akhtar. It was during this period, he revealed, that a jarring realization struck him. While penning material for the show, he observed a disproportionate valuation between the creative input of a writer and the on-screen delivery by a performer.

Grover alluded to a substantial pay gap where a prominent host allegedly commanded a staggering sum per episode, while a writer like himself earned a fraction of that amount for crafting the very dialogue. This revelation, he implied, underscored a profound disparity in how talent and contributions were financially recognized within the industry. He revealed he's not sure of someone said this to provoke him or otherwise, neither he is sure of the figures, but while Farhan Akhtar drew Rs 45 Laks per episode, he only got 45,000 for the same.

Grover further elaborated on the irony of this situation, noting the immense production scale of 'Oye! It's Friday!'. He remarked on the lavish sets and extravagant props, pointing out that the cost of even a single decorative item on set could rival his entire episode's earnings.

The experience, he indicated, also contributed to his diminishing interest in writing for television-based stand-up, particularly as creative restrictions began to surface. Beyond this personal anecdote, the interview also touched upon Grover's succinct yet impactful online comment on director Anurag Kashyap's social media post, which had lauded 'Animal' filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga. This wide-ranging discussion offered a rare glimpse into the complexities of creative compensation and artistic expression in Bollywood.