EXCLUSIVE | 'Maalik' actor Rajkummar Rao on the working hours on his film sets amid Deepika Padukone's 'Spirit' row: 'There cannot be any hierarchy and...'

Rajkummar Rao was the most successful star of 2024. For 2025, he has a film called Maalik coming up that releases in cinemas on July 11. There’s Toasters with Sanya Malhotra as well which marks his and his wife and actress Patralekhaa’s foray into production. This is a Netflix release. Now back to Maalik.

In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, the actor spoke about the working hours on his film sets and how there cannot be any hierarchy. The industry has been weighing on the on-going discussion and debate ever since Deepika Padukone quit Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit due to long working hours. Rao also spoke about giving the same food to his crew members and why there cannot be any hierarchy on his sets.

The actor said, “That’s the first thing, so Patralekhaa produced Toaster. And the next one that we are filming currently is, under our banner, which is a theatrical. That’s also what Patralekhaa is producing. And the first thing that we said because, you know, after working for so many years for both of us, we know that you have to give good food to the crew. And you have to give it on time. That’s the basic thing that they expect out of you. So the first thing we told our production team is that we cannot compromise on the food quality.”

Rao added, “There has to be everybody working for the film. Nobody’s doing anyone any favour. They’re all professionals, so please provide good food and on time. And second thing is there cannot be any hierarchy on set. Everybody is equally important to the film. Everybody is contributing something or the other to the film. And even before turning into a producer, this is something I maintain, that there cannot be any hierarchy on set. It’s not like I’m going to take, I’m going to call all the shots. Not at all.”