Deepika Padukone has broken her silence on the controversy surrounding her request for an 8-hour workday, a decision that reportedly led to her exiting Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film ‘Spirit’ and Nag Ashwin’s ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel. Speaking with CNBC-TV18, the acclaimed actress pointed out a significant double standard in the Indian film industry.
Padukone stated that while male superstars have consistently worked 8-hour shifts for years, often only working weekdays and taking weekends off, these arrangements have never garnered significant attention or headlines. “By virtue of being a woman, if that’s coming across as being pushy or whatever, then so be it,” Padukone remarked, implying that such demands from female actors are often perceived differently.
She further elaborated that the Indian film industry, despite being termed as such, has historically operated in a rather disorganized manner. “We have never really worked like an industry,” she commented, expressing that it’s time for the industry to adopt a more structured approach and implement better systems.
Deepika Padukone’s decision to seek an 8-hour workday was reportedly influenced by her desire to spend time with her daughter. Following her exit from the ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel, she commenced shooting for Siddharth Anand’s upcoming film ‘King’, which also stars Shah Rukh Khan and Suhana Khan. The actress is also slated to appear in Atlee’s film ‘AA22xA6’ alongside Allu Arjun.