 "Rani Mukerji breaks silence on Deepika Padukone's 8-hour shift demand amid the 'Spirit' row: 'Was breastfeeding my daughter during my film Hichki and...'")
Deepika Padukone may not be doing Prabhas’ Spirit and Kalki 28988 AD but she has Shah Rukh Khan’s King and ‘Jawan’ director Atlee’s sci-fi drama with Allu Arjun that’s yet to get a title.
A source close to the project shares, “She has a fierce part, which is essential to the first and second acts of the narrative.” This confirms what many had speculated — that Deepika’s role is not a cameo or a fleeting appearance, but a well-etched character woven into the heart of the story with Allu Arjun.
Rani Mukerji on Deepika Padukone ’s shift demand
Amid her Spirit controversy over working hours and 8-hour shift demand, National-award winning actress Rani Mukerji spoke to ANI about it and revealed, “When I did Hichki, Adira was 14 months old, and I was still breastfeeding her. I had to pump the milk and leave early in the morning to shoot at a college in town. From my home in Juhu to the shoot location, it would take almost two hours due to traffic.”
The actress added, “So I’d leave by 6:30 a.m. after expressing milk. My first shot was at 8 a.m., and I’d wrap up by 12:30 or 1 p.m. My team and director were very organised. I’d reach home by 3 p.m., before the traffic worsened. That’s how I completed the film.”
Rani continued explaining, “These things have always existed. It’s just that now people are openly talking about it. In any profession, if the producer agrees to shorter hours, you go ahead with the project. If not, you opt out. It’s a mutual choice; nothing is forced. Men don’t have to go through a physical transformation. Women, on the other hand, go through both physical and emotional changes.”
Deepika Padukone tops IMDb list
Deepika Padukone, who made it to the top five of IMDb’s list of ‘Indian Cinema’s Most Prolific Headliners’ in the last 25 years, said she was often told how to navigate her career path as a woman but she was never afraid to challenge the status quo.
The list was topped by Shah Rukh Khan topped the list, with Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan securing the second position, and Deepika Padukone ranking third.