Movie Desk
23 July 2025, 01:58 PM IST
Deepika Padukone reportedly stepped away from Spirit, which stars Prabhas in the lead. Her departure from the project was partly attributed to concerns over rigid work schedules
Vidya Balan, Deepika Padukone
Amidst ongoing debate surrounding eight-hour work shifts for new mothers, acclaimed actor Vidya Balan has voiced her support for flexible working hours in the film industry. Backing fellow actor Deepika Padukone, Vidya stressed the importance of adopting a more empathetic work culture in the film industry to accommodate new mothers.
The conversation around working hours for mothers has gained momentum following Deepika Padukone’s exit from director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit, citing issues with the demanding work schedule. The decision sparked widespread discussion across the industry, revealing a divide in opinions on how best to support working mothers in cinema.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Vidya Balan said, “There is conversation about how mothers need to have an option to work for fewer hours, flexible hours, right? And I think that’s fair.” Emphasising the changing dynamics across various sectors, she added, “every industry is adopting those practices so that we don’t lose out on new mothers, or women in the early years of them having children, so I think it’s very important that we do have flexible working hours for women.”
Vidya, known for her powerful and women-centric roles, also acknowledged the privilege she currently enjoys due to not having parental responsibilities. “With the kind of films that I do, we can’t afford to shoot only for eight hours. I am not a mother, so I have all the time in the world to be doing a 12-hour shift,” she remarked.
Earlier, filmmaker Anurag Basu also came out in support of Deepika’s perspective on the need for shorter and more accommodating work hours. Speaking to Firstpost, he said, “I also don’t like long-hour shifts at work. My actors never complain about long hours or stress at work. So, I absolutely agree with what Deepika Padukone had to say. It’s a film; I never give my actors a chance to complain about this.”
Deepika Padukone reportedly stepped away from Spirit, which stars Prabhas in the lead. Her departure from the project was partly attributed to concerns over rigid work schedules. Following her exit, actor Triptii Dimri was brought on board to replace her in the film.
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