Celebs Pick Sides In Sandeep Reddy Vanga Vs Deepika Padukone Row: Mani Ratnam, Pankaj Tripathi, Kajol, Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan Weigh In On 8-Hours-Shift

Following Deepika Padukone's exit from Spirit, a new conversation around an 8-hour working shift in the film industry has emerged. It all started when the new mother requested an 8-hour day for working in Sandeep Reddy Vanga-led Spirit, which the filmmaker allegedly denied. Several celebrities have now directly and indirectly weighed in on the need for a structured shift in the industry.  

After Kajol, Ajay Devgn and Kajol, Pankaj Tripathi and Mani Ratnam bat for a leaner work shift 

Deepika Padukone's demand for an 8-hour workday has resonated with many. Social media users have unanimously declared the actress's demands ‘reasonable’. In public events and media interviews, Kajol, Ajay Devgn, and Saif Ali Khan also highlighted the importance of work-life balance.

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Amid this, in a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Pankaj Tripathi recalled shoots extending for 16-18 hours at times. He asserted the need for actors to draw boundaries and respectfully say ‘no’ to the filmmakers. He admits struggling with the practice himself and quipped, “Main bol bhi raha hu ki actor ja chuka hai labour ruka hua hai (Actors are gone, only labourers are left)." He also added that off-lately he has begun to voice his discomfort and shared that he now tells the directors, “whatever is left will be done the next day".

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Popularly acclaimed director Mani Ratnam voiced his clear support for Deepika Padukone in the row. Speaking to a media publication, he dubbed the actress's demands a ‘fair ask'. However, the filmmaker did not comment on the 8-hour workday as a general practice.

Earlier, during the trailer launch of her film Maa, Kajol was asked about her experience with long working hours as a mother. While the actress briefly displayed her support for the fixed working hours, her husband Ajay Devgn voiced his support for Deepika and said, “Most honest filmmakers will not have problems with it. And apart from this, being a mother and working for eight hours, most people have started working eight-nine-hour shifts."

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In a recent interview, Saif Ali Khan also highlighted the importance of family time. He said, “I hate coming home and seeing the kids already asleep. That's not success. Success is being able to say, ‘No, I need to go home now to catch that half hour with them.' We get four holidays a year, and when my kids are on break, I don't work." His comments were circulated as his subtle nod to Deepika's demand.

For the unversed, apart from an 8-hour work shift, Deepika Padukone also allegedly demanded fair pay and refused to mouth dialogues in Telugu. This led to the filmmaker dropping her and he signed Triptii Dimri to play the lead role in Prabhas-led Spirit instead. However, none of these reports have been confirmed by the actress or the filmmaker.