Deepika Padukone On 8-Hour Shift Row After Spirit, Kalki 2 Exit

Bollywood star Deepika Padukone has finally spoken about the controversy around her demand to work only 8 hours a day. The actor recently stepped away from two big projects—Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit and Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD sequel—after reports claimed her request wasn’t accepted.

In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Deepika said that male actors have been working 8-hour shifts for years, but it never became news. She explained, “By virtue of being a woman, if that comes across as pushy, then so be it. Many male superstars work only eight hours a day, Monday to Friday, and don’t even shoot on weekends. But no one talks about it.”

She also pointed out that the Indian film industry, despite being huge, still lacks proper structure and discipline. According to her, it’s time to bring more system and order to the way films are made.

Deepika’s decision to exit Spirit was linked to her wish to balance work with spending time with her daughter, Dua. Soon after, Vyjayanthi Movies announced that she was no longer part of the Kalki 2898 AD sequel, saying the film required a higher level of “commitment.”

Despite the exits, Deepika has moved forward with new projects. She has already started working on King, directed by Siddharth Anand, alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, and Abhishek Bachchan. She will also be seen in Atlee’s upcoming film with Allu Arjun.

#DeepikaPadukone #Spirit #Kalki2898AD #BollywoodNews #FilmIndustry #WorkLifeBalance #BollywoodUpdate #KingMovie #AlluArjun #ShahRukhKhan