Deepika Padukone's 8-hour shift demand gets backed by Kareena Kapoor, Ananya Panday: 'You have to be honest'

Deepika Padukone's 8-hour demand in the film industry has once again come into the limelight after fellow actresses Kareena Kapoor and Ananya Panday voiced their support. The duo recently had a debate about the certain designated workday hour and stressed about the balance of work commitments and personal life.

What did Kareena Kapoor and Ananya Panday say about the 8-hour work demand?

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Kareena Kapoor shared her views on working while taking care of kids and said, "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." In addition, she also said how certain days might not go according to plan, but flexibility is necessary in scheduling. She also said that there are times when small sacrifices or turning down a film may be required to maintain the balance.

Also Read: Aditya Dhar’s ‘18-hour shift’ comment goes viral: Internet calls it a dig at Deepika Padukone

Ananya Panday too added her views on this 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, with no complaints and no asking for anything. Now she’s a mother, and this is what she needs to be present with her child in the first two years of her child’s growth."

How did Deepika Padukone's 8-hour work demand come into picture?

Deepika Padukone's 8-hour work demand has become one of the crucial topics for discussion among Bollywood celebrities. It all began when the actress had reportedly demanded a certain designated workday from director Sandeep Reddy Vanga for Spirit and also from the Kalki 2899 AD sequel makers. But the buzz around this topic grew more when the makers of Kalki 2899 AD released an official statement that Deepika won't be part of the sequel and added it 'deserves commitment'.

Also Read: Deepika Padukone’s exit from Kalki 2: Netizens slam makers for ‘aggressive’ statement

Deepika’s exit from Kalki 2 comes right after she was also dropped from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, another big-ticket project starring Prabhas. Reports suggest her requests for shorter working hours and a hefty paycheck didn’t sit well with the director. Vanga himself took to social media earlier this year, accusing Deepika of indulging in “dirty PR games” and disrespecting his storytelling.

Deepika Padukone breaking silence on 8-hour shift demand

In an interview with CNBC-TV 18, Deepika Padukone spoke about the pushback she had been receiving ever since and 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 8 hours for years, and it's never made headlines.”

Also Read: Deepika Padukone-Kalki 2892 AD controversy: Cinema, casting and criticism! What went wrong? | Explained

She went on to add, “I don't want to take names now and make this into this whole thing, but it's very commonly, publicly known about a lot of male actors who have been working for 8 hours for years. A lot of them work only Monday to Friday; they do not work on weekends.”

Also Read: Deepika Padukone: First Actress to Become Mental Health Ambassador

Coming to the work front, although Deepika Padukone has walked out from two major projects, she still has two in the pipeline. One is with Atlee, next starring Allu Arjun in the lead role. The other one is King, in which she will be reuniting with Shah Rukh Khan in King.