No, Deepika Padukone Was Not Wrong In Wanting Eight Hour Shifts

Deepika Padukone and Dhurandhar (1 and 2) star Ranveer Singh announced their second pregnancy on April 19 through a joint Instagram post. There was chatter in the rumour mill for quite some time, and the latest post just confirmed Reddit threads and social media buzz. The news, as expected, was greeted with predictable warmth celebration. The couple, who is already parents to daughter Dua, born in 2024, is now stepping into a fuller version of a family life, inevitably reshaping priorities, schedules and work-life balance. However, amidst all the celebration, the announcement also reopened an older, more contentious conversation – Deepika Padukone’s demand for eight hour work shifts on film sets in May 2025, leading to her exit from Spirit and Kalki

2898AD and sparking a widespread industry debate. Her demand had triggered criticism, industry pushback, and a particularly sharp social media backlash. But, in hindsight, the juxtaposition is revealing. Because if there was ever a moment that validated her stance, it is this one.

Deepika Padukone’s Controversy That Refused To Fade

The debate dates back to when mum-to-be Deepika Padukone reportedly exited major projects after insisting on regulated, eight-hour work days. What followed was unnecessary scrutiny on her demand, with headlines framing her as “unreasonable”. Industry murmurs suggested a lack of commitment, while social media, in haste, as usual, turned it into a narrative highlighting her unprofessionalism. But buried beneath the outrage was perhaps a quieter, more uncomfortable truth of Bollywood, which for long had been normalising punishing work schedules as the norm. Twelve to fourteen-hour shooting days were not exceptions but rather the expectation in Bollywood. In the midst of this warped sensibility, Padukone did not invent the idea of an eight-hour workday, the actress simply asked why it should not apply to her.Deepika Padukone highlighted that eight hours is sufficient for the human body and mind, and how it is important for health, reduced burnout, and the need for support for new working mothers.

The Gendered Nature of Backlash Against Deepika Padukone

What made this outrage even more outrageous was selective outrage. As Padukone herself pointed out in an interview on the eve of World Mental Health Day 2025, a lot of male superstars in the Indian film industry, have been working for 8 hours for years. Yet, when a women, especially a new mother, made the same request, it was framed and ridiculed for being an ‘entitlement’.

What needs to be understood that this is perhaps not accidental and instead reflects on a deeper discomfort when women start asserting boundaries in industries built on overwork. When a male actor starts exercising control on his work schedule, it is seen as powerful, when a woman does the same, she is termed ‘difficult’. Padukone’s demand thus was never just about work hours, it was a woman demanding agency.

Deepika’s Motherhood Changes The Equation

The context on her demand matters. Padukone asked for a workday schedule after becoming a mother – a phase of life that fundamentally changes one’s relationship with time and labour. This is the same Deepika Padukone who had in an earlier interaction had hinted how important motherhood is to her - complete with "three little kids, scuttling around".

And her husband Ranveer Singh himself, has, in recent interviews spoken about how deeply immersed Deepika is in motherhood, often prioritising her child over her own well-being. Add to that the reality that the actress is now expecting her second child, the argument for structured work hours become not just reasonable, but rather, extremely necessary - It is a negotiation between two full-time roles – as an actor and parent.

Kangana Ranaut’s Unexpected Solidarity

The most surprising development in this debate, perhaps has come from Kangana Ranaut – figure not really associated with supporting Padukone. In a recent interaction, Ranaut, publicly backed Deepika’s demand for workday balance, stating that the actress has “earned that place” and went on to highlight the unfair pressure that is usually pushed on women with the expectation that they will juggle professional demands with family responsibilities. What Ranaut’s comment did, was cut through the noise, and acknowledge something the backlash had ignored – success should warrant autonomy, not scrutiny.

Kangana Ranaut also pointed out at a systemic issue both Deepika and she had faced early on in their career. According to the actress, when they were shooting with Imtiaz Ali, both considered long hours as the normal. The Manikarnika actress also revealed how women are often expected to do double the work balancing demanding careers with caregiving roles. That observation reframes the debate entirely, raising the all-important question - why such accommodations are still treated as exceptions rather than norms.

Industry’s Outdated Work Culture

Bollywood’s work culture has traditionally thrived on excess – long hours, gruelling, unpredictable schedules and an almost performative endurance. But this model is increasingly becoming backdated as per global standards, where conversations around work-life balance, mental health, and sustainable productivity are gaining visibility and urgency. And Padukone’s demand aligns with that shift.

In fact, even Ashutosh Rana, among others has supported the idea of a shorted, structured workday which can actually improve the quality of output. Actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Ananya Panday too have spoken for work-life balance. Celebrities are finally pointing out that exhaustion does not create better art. It creates burnout.Padukone’s insistence disrupted that inertia that was celebrated in the industry.

Deepika Padukone Is A Superstar Redefining Success

What made the conversation even more relevant is that Padukone is not just another actor navigating early career uncertainties. One of the most successful and influential stars of her generation, at this stage, redefining the terms of her engagement with work is not only her right - it is almost inevitable. Success is not about achieving more, but also about choosing how you want to live once you have achieved it.The renewed attention on Padukone’s stance - triggered by her second pregnancy - signals something larger than a celebrity controversy. It reflects a generational shift in how work is understood. Young professionals across sectors are now questioning the glorification of overwork, choosing to prioritise balance, boundaries, and well-being. In that sense, Padukone’s demand makes sense.

And to say that Deepika Padukone was “not wrong” is perhaps an understatement. To be honest, she as logical, consistent and more importantly, honest about her needs. An eight-hour workday is not a radical demand, it is actually he global standard in most professions and the fact that it sparked controversy, perhaps says more about the industry that her.As Deepika prepares to welcome her second child, she is still working on projects - including King with Shah Rukh Khan and Atlee's Raaka, where she will star alongside Allu Arjun – both demanding, her stance appears less like a demand and more like foresight.The fact that Deepika Padukone is a global star, who is also a working mother and someone still actively working through her pregnancy should put the debate to rest. The question was never on whether Deepika Padukone is willing to work hard, but rather whether she should be expected to work endlessly.