Deepika Padukone BREAKS SILENCE On Spirit, Kalki 2898 AD Controversy: Male Superstars Have Been Working For 8 Hours

Deepika Padukone has finally addressed the ongoing discussions surrounding her exit from Sandeep Vanga Reddy's Spirit and Prabhas's Kalki 2898 AD sequel, allegedly due to her demanding fixed 8 hour shifts.

The actress, known for her professionalism and dedication, has spoken out against the double standards that often exist in the industry when it comes to male and female actors, without taking any names.

Deepika talks about double standards in the industry

In a conversation with CNBC TV18, Deepika addressed the talks that she demanded 8 hour working shifts. The actress said, "By virtue of being a woman, if that's coming across as 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!"She continued, "I don't want to take names now and make this into a whole thing but it is very commonly, publicly known that a lot of male actors have been working for 8 hours a day for years. A lot of them only work for 8 hours Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends."

All about working hours controversy

Kalki 2898 AD producers officially announced her exit for the sequel of the film last month, stating, “This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD. After careful consideration. We have decided to part ways. Despite the long journey of making the first film, we were unable to find a partnership. And a film like @Kalki2898AD deserves that commitment and much more. We wish her the best with her future works.” There were multiple reports that the actress had asked for fixed 8 hours shift for work-life balance.This followed her exit from Sandeep Vanga Reddy's directorial Spirit, reportedly due to the same reasons. Without naming Deepika, the director had posted on X, "When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, You've 'DISCLOSED' the person that you are...."Further, he added, "Putting down a Younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for ? As a filmmaker, I put years of hard work behind my craft & for me, filmmaking is everything. You didn't get it. You won't get it. You will never get it. Aisa karo.... Agli baar poori kahani bolna... kyunki mujhe jarra bhi farak nahi padtha. #dirtyPRgames I like this kahawath very much :-) खुंदक में बिल्ली खंबा नोचे !" Triptii Dimri later replaced Deepika.Both of these films have Prabhas as lead.