Deepika Padukone finally breaks silence on her 8-hour shift demand amid 'Spirit' row: 'If Bollywood's male actors can work for...'

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, Deepika Padukone visited Madhya Pradesh to mark a special milestone — 10 years of her foundation, Live Love Laugh, which continues to play a vital role in spreading awareness and support for mental health across India.

The actor, who has been a strong advocate for mental health for over a decade, reflected on her journey and the impact of her foundation during the event. Her visit wasn’t just a celebration of the foundation’s achievements but also a reaffirmation of her commitment to breaking the stigma around mental health conversations in the country.

When asked if she ever thought she would have to pay a price for asking what she believes is fair, Deepika gave a deeply thoughtful response, one that resonated with her grace and integrity.

The Piku actress told CNBC TV-18, “I have done this a many levels, this is not new to me I think even as pay is concerned you know I have had to deal with with whatever comes with you know I don’t I don’t even know what to call it but I am someone who always fought my battles silently and for some strange reasons sometimes they become public which is not the way I know and not the way I’ve been brought up but yes to fight my battles and to do it silently and in a dignified way is the way I know.”

Her words put into perspective not only her personal journey but also the larger industry conversations about fairness, equality, and dignity. True to her nature, Deepika continues to champion her causes — both on-screen and off — with remarkable calm, courage, and authenticity.

Through her actions and her words, Deepika Padukone once again reminds everyone that strength doesn’t always need to be loud — sometimes, it’s found in silence, grace, and purpose.

On her shift demands

The actress was quoted saying, “By virtue of being a woman, if that’s coming across as being 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 eight hours for years, and it’s never made headlines.”

“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 eight hours a day for years. A lot of them only work for eight hours Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends,” she added.