Deepika Padukone Breaks Silence On 8-Hour Shift Row After ‘Spirit’ And ‘Kalki 2’ Exit
Deepika Padukone broke her silence on the 8-hour shift controversy after exiting ‘Spirit’ and ‘Kalki 2898 AD 2’, calling for better work-life balance and fair treatment in the film industry.
Deepika Padukone has finally broken her silence after weeks of speculation surrounding her exit from two major projects – Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Spirit’ and Nag Ashwin’s ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel. The actress, who had remained tight-lipped about the controversies, indirectly addressed the uproar while marking a decade of her mental health foundation, Live Love Laugh, on World Mental Health Day in Madhya Pradesh. Her recent comments not only shed light on the ongoing discourse about working hours in the film industry but also underlined her quiet yet firm approach to handling professional challenges.
In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Deepika said she has always preferred to “fight her battles silently and in a dignified way,” noting that some of her private struggles have unintentionally become public.
She explained, “I have done this at many levels; this is not new to me. Even when it comes to pay, I have had to deal with whatever comes with it… I don’t even know what to call it. But I am someone who has always fought my battles silently, and for some strange reason, sometimes they become public—which is not the way I know and not the way I’ve been brought up. To fight my battles silently and in a dignified way is the way I know.”
The actress also addressed the controversy regarding her demand for an eight-hour workday – the condition that reportedly led to her walking out of ‘Spirit’ and later ‘Kalki 2898 AD 2’. Deepika pointed out the double standards in the industry, revealing that many male superstars have long worked limited hours without facing backlash.
She said, “By virtue of being a woman, if that's coming across as being pushy or whatever, then so be it. But it is no secret that a lot of superstars, male superstars, in the Indian film industry, have been working for eight hours for years, and it's never made headlines.”
“I don't want to take names now and make this into a whole thing, but it is very commonly, publicly known that a lot of male actors have been working for eight hours a day for years. A lot of them only work for eight hours Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends,” she added.
Deepika added that while the Indian film world is “termed as an industry,” it continues to function in a “disorganised” manner. She urged for more structure and professionalism, saying, “It’s time we brought in some system into this culture.”
In another interview with Brut India, the Bollywood actress defended her stance, clarifying that her ask was not unreasonable.
“I don’t think what I am asking for is ridiculously unfair and I think only someone who has worked in the system enough will know the conditions that we work in. And I am saying this, if I may say so myself, a top star, so you can only imagine what the working conditions must be like for everyone else, for the crew, for example,” she told Brut India.
When asked whether such criticism stemmed from gender bias, Deepika said she couldn’t confirm but emphasized her advocacy for “better work-life balance and humane working conditions.”
“I wouldn’t know if it’s a gender thing or not. But what I can definitely say is I am definitely advocating for a better work life balance and a better working environment and better working conditions and if that doesn’t work for somebody, we’re not obligated to work with each other,” she said.
Deepika’s decision to step back from ‘Spirit’ reportedly came after her eight-hour work request wasn’t met. She later exited ‘Kalki 2898 AD 2’ as well, with Vyjayanthi Movies issuing a statement saying they parted ways “after careful consideration,” citing the need for a “higher level of commitment.”
The actress, however, has moved on swiftly. Days after the ‘Kalki’ sequel announcement, Deepika began shooting for ‘King’ alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, and Abhishek Bachchan.
The film, directed by Siddharth Anand, marks her reunion with SRK after ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’. She also has Atlee’s upcoming project, ‘AA22xA6’, with Allu Arjun in the pipeline – signalling that the star is far from slowing down, but rather setting her own terms in an industry long dominated by unequal standards.
