Deepika Padukone stirred up quite a media racket when she demanded consistent working hours and other stipulations for her film projects and, as a result, made her exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's "Spirit" over refusal to comply with said demands. Many actors and directors have come to Deepika's aid, voicing their support for her demands. Now, actress Konkona Sen Sharma has also thrown her hat into the metaphorical ring and weighs in on this work hours debate.

In a conversation with News18, Konkona stressed the importance of regular breaks and a weekly day off for actors. “I do think that ideally, there should be humane working hours across the industry. I mean, we are not neurosurgeons dealing with life-and-death situations,” she said.

She went on to say that although a project’s financial rewards are significant, actors' welfare must also be taken into account. “Of course, one has to take care that the people financing the project recover their money because that’s important, and it is equally important that we remember we are working with human beings who need something called bio breaks,” Konkona remarked.

Additionally, the actress emphasised the necessity of regulated working hours. “We need breaks from time to time. We do make exceptions occasionally, like when we have a 12-hour shift that often gets stretched to 14-15 hours. But I do think there should be more regulated working hours and at least one day off weekly; it would be more productive as well,” she said.

What Was Deepika's 8-Hour Workday Demand?

Deepika Padukone recently exited two film projects, namely Sandeep Reddy Vanga's "Spirit" and Nag Ashwin's "Kalki 2898 AD", due to her demand for a consistent 8-hour work schedule. Further, some reports claim that Padukone demanded additional pay for extra hours and five-star accommodations for her team. Following her daughter’s birth, the actress has rallied for a better work-life balance in the industry so as to give adequate attention to her family. While many echoed her thoughts, others have expressed their criticism of Deepika’s “bizarre” demands.

In a statement addressing these claims, Deepika remarks, “By virtue of being a woman, if that’s (referring to the 8-hour workday demand) coming across as being pushy or whatever, then so be it. It is very commonly publicly known that a lot of male actors have been working for eight hours a day for years. A lot of them only work Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends.” Further, the actress also stressed the need for a structured and professional work culture in Bollywood, which she called “very disorganised".