Mumbai: Amid the 8-hour work shift debate actress Deepika Padukone has urged for more support for new working mothers.
Deepika’s exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Spirit’ and ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel sparked a debate around fixed working hours.
In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar India, Deepika opened up about how motherhood changed her perspective on work-life balance.
“One hundred per cent. Every cliché is true. When mothers say, ‘You’ll understand when you become one,’ it’s true. I have so much more respect for my mother now. You can plan how you think you’ll navigate work and motherhood, but the reality is very different. I feel strongly about how new mothers need to be supported when they return to work. That’s something I want to focus on,” she said.
Explaining why an eight-hour work shift is ideal for actors, she said, “We’ve normalised overworking. We mistake burnout for commitment. Eight hours of work a day is enough for the human body and mind. Only when you’re healthy can you give your best. Bringing a burnt-out person back into the system helps no one. In my own office, we work eight hours a day, Monday to Friday. We have maternity and paternity policies. We should normalise bringing children to work.”
Deepika welcomed her first child, daughter Dua, in September 2024.
In May, the new mother was dropped from Vanga’s ‘Spirit’, with reports suggesting that the actress had demanded an 8-hour work shift and a share in profits.
She was replaced with Triptii Dimri opposite Prabhas in the film.
In September, Deepika was dropped from Nag Ashwin’s ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel too.
Announcing her exit from the project, Vyjayanthi Movies wrote on X, “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.”
Deepika will be next seen in Atlee’s ‘AA22 x A6’, which stars Allu Arjun as the male lead.
She will also co-star Shah Rukh Khan in ‘King’.