'Paid Rs 6,000 for 12 hours': Models slam India's fashion industry for systemic underpayment, exploitation

Roshni Sharma's call for change spurred a wave of responses from within the fashion fraternity.

India’s fashion runways may shimmer with glamour, but behind the scenes, professional models say they are battling persistent underpayment, poor treatment, and systemic disrespect—issues that have remained unspoken for far too long.

In a strongly worded post shared on Instagram, professional model Roshni Sharma exposed what she described as the harsh economic realities faced by many working in the industry. Her comments, shared alongside a video, resonated deeply within the modelling community and ignited widespread discussion.

“Fashion week rates for pool models should start at Rs 40,000 a day, with travel and stay included. If you've walked before, don't let anyone make you feel insecure. Ask for what you deserve,” she urged.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Roshni Sharma (@roshoflove)

Her call for change spurred a wave of responses from within the fashion fraternity. Many models echoed Sharma’s sentiments, revealing their own experiences of being overworked, underpaid, and sidelined.

One of those voices was Teajay Gil, a 27-year-old model who has been part of the industry for nine years. Speaking to NDTV, he shared an incident that has become all too familiar in the modelling world.

“I’ve done shows where I was called in at 9 am for a show scheduled at 9:30 pm, and was paid only Rs 6,000—sometimes nothing at all,” he recounted.

Gil highlighted a lack of compensation for fittings, no reimbursement for travel, and appalling catering arrangements.

“We often end up purchasing our own food. Fittings are unpaid. Travel costs aren’t covered. The basic standards are missing.”

He added that male models are regularly booked for rates as low as Rs 6,000–Rs 7,000 per show.

“Some show directors even boast to clients about how little they paid a model,” he said. “In reality, the rate should be between Rs 15,000 and Rs 35,000 for men, and Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 for women. And fittings must be paid, without question.”

Gil also shed light on what he called “middleman exploitation” in commercial shoots. He described being offered Rs 35,000 for a 12-hour shoot for a global brand whose campaign spanned television, print, cinema, and digital platforms.

“I uploaded a screenshot online, and the offer was increased to Rs 80,000,” he said. “Still, that’s nowhere near what the brand had budgeted. So where is the rest of the money going?”

He also criticised the unpaid photo shoots conducted backstage before runway shows.

“They’ll ask us to pose in full gear under professional lighting. It’s clearly a production shoot, but we aren’t paid a rupee for it,” Gil noted.

Another professional, Shimei Nathan, aged 23, said that the increasing preference for influencer-led modelling has put serious pressure on full-time professionals.

“Today, anyone with a mobile phone and a few followers claims to be a model,” she told NDTV. “Brands exploit this by asking professionals like us to work for free in exchange for exposure—but exposure doesn’t pay bills.”
Nathan pointed to a growing industry demand that models maintain a strong online presence in order to be considered for work.

“Agencies now ask us to boost our social media presence. But if brands are using our platforms, shouldn’t we be compensated for that too?”

Veteran beauty expert Elton J Fernandez, who has spent over two decades in the fashion and advertising sectors, observed that professional models are routinely dehumanised backstage.

“Even those with 15–20 years of experience are treated like coat hangers,” he told NDTV. “In contrast, film actors brought in as showstoppers are pampered and prioritised.”

Fernandez described a growing “dignity gap” between influencers and professional models.

“Influencers make lakhs for a single Instagram reel, while a model is paid Rs 10,000 to walk a show,” he explained. “Meanwhile, makeup and hair artists like us receive just Rs 4,000 for both hair and makeup per model. If the model is male, it’s even less.”

He added: “Just one quality mascara costs Rs 1,500. So how are we expected to maintain quality with such meagre pay?”

Fernandez emphasised that the fashion industry’s mistreatment of talent is not limited to wages.

“This isn’t just about money. It’s about silence enforced by fear. If you speak out, you’re labelled difficult. You’re blacklisted. I once stood up for a model being mistreated and never worked with that designer again.”

"Exploitation doesn't have to be sexual to be valid. Today's oppression is more invisible, more strategic, and just as damaging," he remarked.

Despite India’s growing influence in global fashion and the push for inclusion and innovation, basic respect, fair wages, and clear contracts remain elusive for many professionals.

Roshni Sharma, Teajay Gil, and Shimei Nathan are among those now demanding industry-wide changes—starting with transparent contracts, paid fittings, proper reimbursement, and fair rates for digital usage.

They are also appealing to younger, aspiring models to resist undervaluing themselves.

“The brand that you walk for are making hundred times the amount you get paid when you walk for them. Please be smart before it’s too late," Sharma reiterated.