Television actress Khushi Dubey has steadily carved an area for herself with unconventional roles across television and OTT. Best known for taking part in Chikki Chauhan in Gul Khan’s romantic thriller series Aashiqana, the actress has managed to attach strongly with younger audiences through shows that move beyond the standard saas-bahu format. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Bubble, Khushi opened up about being stereotyped as a consequence of her TV background, the challenges female actors face on sets and the continued conversation around pay disparity within the industry. Scroll on to know what the actress needed to share.
Khushi Dubey SLAMS Pay Disparity In The Industry
When asked if she had ever been stereotyped in Bollywood due to her television background, Khushi Dubey admitted that fortunately, her projects have mostly remained unconventional. She shared, “Stereotype toh nahi, because mere by likelihood jo mere shows rahe hain na, wo thode se saas-bahu wale type ke rahe hi nahi hai kabhi bhi. They’ve been very unconventional. Aashiqana mein toh chalo, it was an internet series, but baaki shows bhi jo the, whether it’s Jubilee Talkies, whether it’s Jadoo Teri Nazar, and anything, they’ve not… and I don’t even wish to get into that zone, that family drama zone for now. Because I’m exploring myself as an actor.”
The actress further reflected on how demanding the occupation could be for ladies. Talking concerning the physical and mental effort that goes into long shoots, she explained, “Haan lekin ladkiyon ke liye bahut tough hota hai. It’s a really different mehnat for them. You already know, it’s a really different thing for them to shoot because also pehli baat toh costume wearing. That whatever lehenga and anything, ya going to a celebration, going to an event for just a few hours versus shooting for that for 12 hours. Bahut different cheez ho jaati hai. And you may’t even look drained. You’ve to look decked up.”
Khushi Dubey Reflects On How Cleanliness Matters In Outdoor Shoots
Khushi also identified that outdoor shoots and constant costume changes often grow to be way more exhausting for female actors than audiences realise. Sharing her perspective, she said, “Plus for females I feel for outdoor shoots also, like I’m having lots of OCD for cleanliness and yeh sab, toh mujhe predominant kahin pe bhi nahi ruk sakti hoon. I mean, I actually have lots of OCD towards cleanliness. Toh mujhe lagta hai females ke liye ek wo cheez bhi bahut badi ho jaati hai, jo ki mujhe lagta hai it’s not there that much within the case of males. For changing, for anything, even the dress changes that you’ve gotten between the scenes. Bahut different cheez hoti hai. Toh woh on-screen ka mehnat toh alag hai, off-screen ek alag rehta hai.”
Khushi On Female Fandoms
Other than the work itself, the actress also spoke about how female actors must earn acceptance and respect from audiences otherwise. Khushi candidly shared, “And in addition mujhe yeh bhi lagta hai ki female fans jo hoti hain… mujhe kaafi din se yeh baat karni thi, but maine ki nahi thi. Matlab by way of fandom also, I do know there are lots of female fans that they really love heroines. But you already know, because female fans hi zyada hain as compared to male fans, toh kahin na kahin you’ve gotten to also earn their love and respect. So haan, thoda bahut yeh bhi hai.”
Khushi On Pay Disparity In The Industry
Throughout the interaction, Khushi also addressed the subject of pay disparity within the entertainment industry. Speaking concerning the need for change, the actress said, “I mean, it depends. It is dependent upon your star value at the moment. I feel male aur female wala abhi filhaal mere saath toh aisa nahi hua ki mujhe kam de rahe hain ya I’m dissatisfied or something. But I’m sure hota hai. Movies mein toh bahut hota hai, and we’ve got it on paper that bahut hota hai. And I feel that must be… that gap must be filled now.”
The Aashiqana actress added, “You already know, in cheezon mein mujhe lagta hai ki when you are getting such great actors and females like Alia Bhatt, Vidya Balan ma’am, Tabu ma’am, Radhika Apte, Deepika ma’am, Priyanka Chopra, for that matter, I feel they need to… We’ve entered 2026, and we still have that pay difference. It’s funny, you already know.”
Watch Full Interview Here:
Following her breakthrough success as Chikki Chauhan in Aashiqana, Khushi Dubey has continued expanding her profession across multiple platforms. She recently played the lead role of Gauri in Jaadu Teri Nazar alongside Zayn Ibad Khan. The actress was also seen in Jubilee Talkies and Aankh Micholi, while she now gears up for larger cinematic projects, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and One Two Cha Cha Chaa, marking a vital latest phase in her acting journey.
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Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Khushi Dubey Reflects On Growing Up Infront Of Camera; Says, “I’ve Seen A Drastic Change In My Personality”
Varsha Tiwari is a budding content author captivated with Bollywood, popular culture, and the stories behind the highlight. She enjoys breaking down trends, celebrity moments, and film narratives into engaging, reader-friendly content. All the time curious and observant, she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Communication and Journalism. Outside of writing, she enjoys painting because storytelling doesn’t all the time need words to make an impact.