Shahid Kapoor's co-star comments on Deepika Padukone's 8-hour shift demand: 'Go to a 9-5 job and stay happy there if you can't...'

Deepika Padukone’s 8-hour shift demand that created major debate in the industry and on social media last year when she quit Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, continues to be a matter of discussion even after we step into 2026. Many people from the industry have voiced their opinions and sided by the actress. But one has a different take on her demands over working hours.

Veteran actor Rajendra Chawla, who has starred in films like A Wednesday and Batti Gul Meter Chalu, in an interview with Bollywood Bubble, said, “I understand that, but if you are coming into this industry, you have to realise from the first day that this is the way it works. You have to accept the fact that the shifts go on for 12-14 hours. Because the volume of work has increased a lot.”

The actor added, “For example, one has to deliver 22-25 mins of content for daily soaps. Now, amidst all that, agar aap yeh chochle paalte rahege (if you’ll keep worrying about these things) that ‘I will work for 8 hours or 5 hours’, then how will the work get finished? If you entered this race, then you have to run according to it. If you can’t accept that, then go to a 9-5 job and stay happy there. No one has forced you to be here. It’s better to sleep tired than to sleep frustrated.”

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Kiara Advani weighs in on Deepika Padukone’s 8-hour shift comment

Kiara Advani, who recently embraced motherhood, has added her voice to the ongoing conversation around work-life balance in the film industry, backing Deepika Padukone’s call for an 8-hour work shift and stressing the importance of mental well-being over relentless work schedules.

Speaking about the debate to Vogue, Kiara said that burnout serves no purpose in any profession, and that healthier working hours are essential not just for actors, but for everyone involved behind the scenes. Her comments come at a time when discussions around long shooting hours, physical exhaustion and emotional strain in Bollywood have gained renewed momentum.

Deepika Padukone finally breaks silence on 8-hour shift demand after Kalki 2, Spirit exit

“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,"  Deepika told Harper’s Bazaar.