📌 Key Points
- Archana Puran Singh slams film sets for ‘kanjoosi’ regarding crew welfare.
- She highlights 13-14 hour shifts and skipped meal breaks as common issues.
- Rajkummar Rao questions the lack of structured breaks for meals during shoots.
- Abhishek Banerjee suggests these issues reflect a larger, cost-saving mindset.
Archana Puran Singh has voiced strong concerns about the film industry’s treatment of crew members, citing excessively long work hours and a lack of meal breaks. Other actors like Rajkummar Rao have echoed these concerns, shedding light on difficult working conditions.
Archana Puran Singh’s Strong Criticism
“Even then, they expect us to extend our work hours to 13-14 hours and skip lunch breaks. This is a kind of kanjoosi (stinginess) only. Kanjoosi is a mentality… How can you not let the light men, who hold their equipment and stand under the sun for hours, eat? They don’t have assistants like us bringing them fruits. It’s terrible,” she said.
Rajkummar Rao Supports Crew Welfare
She also recalled how certain production houses had gained a reputation for being extremely restrictive with food, with crew members often informally referring to them based on how limited the meal portions were. According to her, such practices reflect a deeper, long-standing issue within the industry.
Rajkummar Rao also questioned the lack of structured breaks during shoots. He pointed out that schedules could easily be adjusted to allow timely meals, stressing that the well-being of crew members should be taken into account rather than pushing through long hours without pause.
Industry’s Deeper Issues Exposed
Abhishek Banerjee, meanwhile, suggested that these small decisions reveal a larger mindset, where even minimal cost-saving measures end up affecting people on set. He implied that such choices reflect how easily basic care and comfort can be sidelined.
The conversation around overwork gained further momentum last year when Deepika Padukone reportedly stepped away from projects like Spirit and the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD, after her demand for an eight-hour workday was not met. She had earlier spoken about how overworking has been normalised in the industry, highlighting the need for healthier and more sustainable working conditions.
The conversation underscores a growing awareness of the need for better working conditions in the film industry. Improved schedules and respect for crew members’ basic needs are crucial for a healthier environment.
