The long-standing debate over work-life balance in the Indian film industry, especially Bollywood, has taken a surprising turn. Actress-politician Kangana Ranaut, who is known for her outspoken nature, has come out in strong support of Deepika Padukone.
Kangana stated that Deepika has "earned" the right to set boundaries on her working hours, highlighting the pressures faced by women in the industry.
Deepika was surrounded by public scrutiny after she reportedly stepped away from projects like Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Spirit' and 'Kalki 2898 AD Part 2' due to her eight-hour workday demand. 'The Chennai Express' actress had openly pointed out that the industry frequently mistakes burnout for commitment and called for healthier, more structured working conditions.
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In an interview with ANI, Kangana defended Deepika, emphasising that top actors who have proven their worth over time should not have any problems in defining their schedules.
She said, "I don't think there should be an issue created out of this because if you see where she (Deepika Padukone) is coming from, she has earned that place. She has a daughter, she's a mother now, and the topmost actress. If today she is keen to work for eight hours, she has earned it."
Speaking about a previous project where both Kangana and Deepika worked, the Queen actress shared, "Deepika and I, when we were together, she said that they were working on Imtiaz's film or something. She said, 'We have a 12-hour shift.' In response, I said that I work for only 10 hours. She's like, you know, that's amazing. So there was a time when we wouldn't settle for anything less than 12-14 hours because we were ferocious. We wanted it. We were at it. We were going for it. We wanted to be successful and wanted all these things."
Kangana Ranaut On The Industry Pressurising Women
Highlighting the pressure put on women, especially mothers in the industry, Kangana said, "Let me just conclude it with this. You know, when you're new, you're coming up, and you are replaceable. Your place is different. She (Deepika), being where she is, she's a mother."
"She's got a family to look after. She's also earned that place where people are going to say that, wait a minute, I want her. And it's okay if she comes for eight hours because we'll work around her time. So why not?"
"And I think all the talk about fertility rate, all the talk about marriages collapsing, and all of it, what are we doing? We are putting so much pressure on our women. We are making them work double the amount now with the children," she added.
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Deepika's stance on the 8-hour work shift demand had brought several of her industry colleagues together to give their input. She received more support after she was reportedly dropped from 'Kalki 2', as the makers had announced that they were parting ways with her.
They claimed that they were not able to find a partnership with common grounds in a big project like Kalki that required commitment and more.
Deepika's upcoming projects include Allu Arjun-starrer 'Raaka', directed by Atlee Kumar. Meanwhile, Kangana, who is primarily focusing on politics, last appeared in 'Emergency'.
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