- Kirti Kulhari questioned Rs 10,000 monthly charge for two hours of domestic work
- The domestic worker was responsible for sweeping, mopping, dishes, dusting, laundry
- Social media debated the fairness of the salary amid rising living costs for workers
A one-year-old video of actor Kirti Kulhari discussing the salary expectations of her domestic help has gone viral again on social media, triggering a wider debate online. The clip drew criticism from several users, who said the amount mentioned by the worker was reasonable, with some arguing that it was, in fact, on the lower side.
Details
In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Kirti said, "I was discussing this with my manager as well. Abhi maine naya ghar shift kiya hai, Yaari Road mein, and... the rates we got from the cook and the maid, I was like, 'How do these rates make sense?' (I was discussing this with my manager too. I've recently shifted to a new house in Yaari Road, and the rates we were quoted by the cook and the maid - I was like, 'How do these rates even make sense?')"
Kirti said when she was asked by the interviewer what she was being charged, approximately, "I don't know, like, for two hours of work, which is jhadu, pocha, bartan. I wanted ki jitna do ghante mein ho sakta hai - dusting, kapde, jo ho sakta hai - woh sab aap karenge ghar ka (I don't know, like, for two hours of work - which includes sweeping, mopping, and doing the dishes - I wanted that whatever could possibly be done within those two hours, like dusting, laundry, and other household chores, would all be taken care of)."
"She was charging me Rs 10,000. I was like, tum do ghante aa rahi ho aur tum apne hisaab se jitna kaam hota hai kar rahi ho... and then you are charging me Rs 10,000 for what? At that point, we were like, kya humaari shakal dekh ke aisa ho raha hai ki, inke paas toh honge, thoda sa aur maang hi lete hain (I was like, you're coming in for two hours and only doing as much work as you feel like... and then you're charging me Rs 10,000 for what? At that point, we were thinking, 'Are they looking at us and assuming we must have money, so they might as well ask for more?')," said Kirti.
The video was shared by Uncut India recently, and as the video circulated, many netizens took to social media platforms to express their views, questioning the tone and context of the conversation. Several users pointed out that domestic workers in urban areas often demand similar or higher pay, citing rising living costs and increased workloads.
The discussion gained further traction after actor and television host Mini Mathur reacted to the clip. She weighed in on the conversation, echoing the sentiment shared by many online users and adding to the ongoing discourse around fair wages for household help.
Mini Mathur wrote, "Think of how much her two hours enable us to earn in two hours. This is below minimum wage anywhere else in the world." Comedian Vivek Samtani wrote, "That is barely $2 per hour, and that is too much? Wow."
On the work front, Kirti Kulhari was last seen in Himesh Reshammiya's Badass Ravi Kumar.
