📌 Key Points
- Deepika Padukone’s request for 8-hour shifts sparked debate after exiting two film projects.
- Kareena Kapoor supports actors setting boundaries, especially after marriage and motherhood.
- Ananya Panday emphasizes the need for open conversations between actors and producers.
- Kalyani Priyadarshan notes a shift in Malayalam cinema from 16 to 12-hour workdays.
Deepika Padukone’s stance on 8-hour shifts has ignited a conversation in Bollywood. Kareena Kapoor and Ananya Panday have voiced their support, emphasizing the importance of actors, especially mothers, being able to negotiate their work hours for a better balance.
Deepika Padukone’s Eight-Hour Shift Demand
Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone sparked a debate about actors’ eight-hour work shifts in 2025 when she reportedly exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit and the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD . Now, Bollywood actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Ananya Panday have defended the actor’s demand, stating that it is fine to have a conversation with producers before a film begins.
She further spoke about Deepika’s eight-hour shift demand and added that if actors are married, they need a partner who understands, as they cannot both work and leave the children alone. Kareena said that sometimes it comes down to making small sacrifices with time or even saying no to a film. “So I feel like if you are married and have children, and as a woman, if you do not want to give that time, you should be able to say that this is what I want. I can work this number of hours. I think it’s completely fine to say that way before a film starts. You have to be honest. Of course, a few days might go haywire because there’s no way that some days something might not go wrong. You need to have that openness. Not everything can go as planned. So there should be that much flexibility, otherwise it’s very difficult.”
Kareena Kapoor’s Take on Balancing Work and Family
Actor Kalyani Priyadarshan revealed that in the Malayalam film industry, there used to be a 16-hour work shift, but it has now been reduced to 12 hours. She added that cinema cannot be restricted to six hours because many things have to happen within a single day.
Ananya Panday also defended Deepika and said, “I have worked with Deepika, and before she became a mother, there was no such thing like that. She was working, coming for workshops, no complaints and no asking for anything. Now she’s a mother, this is what she needs to be present with her child in the first two years of her child’s growth. I think it’s okay to have a conversation with your producer to find a balance. It’s something that can be worked around.”
Ananya Panday Advocates for Open Communication
In September, the makers of Kalki 2898 AD revealed that Deepika would not be part of the sequel. Reports later claimed that the fallout stemmed from the actor’s demands for a 25 per cent pay hike, a five-star hotel stay for her team and a seven-hour workday. These incidents sparked a debate about whether actors should have fixed working hours in the film industry.
In November, Deepika spoke about why an eight-hour shift is ideal in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar India. She urged greater support for new mothers in the workplace, stating that an eight-hour work shift is enough for the human mind and body and that bringing children on set should be normalised.
The discussion around work-life balance in Bollywood continues. Stars like Deepika are leading the way in advocating for reasonable work hours. It remains to be seen how the industry adapts to these evolving demands.
