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Bollywood’s culture of gruelling work schedules is facing rare scrutiny, as top actors and filmmakers clash over shooting hours (Sujit JAISWAL) \u00b7 Sujit JAISWAL\/AFP\/AFP <\/p>\n Bollywood’s culture of gruelling work schedules is facing rare scrutiny, as top actors and filmmakers clash over shooting hours (Sujit JAISWAL) \u00b7 Sujit JAISWAL\/AFP\/AFP <\/p>\n
Bollywood’s long-entrenched culture of gruelling work schedules is facing rare scrutiny, as top actors and filmmakers clash over calls to cap shooting days at eight hours.<\/p>\n
The debate gained momentum after leading actress Deepika Padukone reportedly exited a major project last year over a demand for shorter working hours following motherhood, thrusting the issue of work-life balance into the spotlight in India’s film industry.<\/p>\n
Bollywood has long been known for punishing schedules, with shifts often stretching from 12 to 18 hours and, at times, continuing for more than a day during intensive shoots.<\/p>\n
But what was once accepted as the norm is now being questioned, with growing calls for humane working conditions and limits on daily hours.<\/p>\n
Supporters of reform say the current system disproportionately puts pressure on women, who often face being labelled pushy or difficult — a stigma rarely attached to male stars.<\/p>\n
A number of actors, including Suniel Shetty, Kajol and Ram Kapoor, have backed the push for healthier boundaries, arguing that established stars should be able to set limits on working hours.<\/p>\n
“Once you have achieved success in showbiz… then, yes, you are in a position to choose how many hours you want to work,” Kapoor told AFP, reflecting a view that bargaining power in the industry remains tied to status.<\/p>\n
Others, however, warn that the fluid nature of filmmaking makes rigid eight-hour shifts “unreal” to enforce on mega-budget sets.<\/p>\n
– Poor planning –<\/p>\n
“This is not like a corporate job,” said actor Ali Fazal, pointing to the varying demands of projects, particularly action-heavy or technically complex productions.<\/p>\n
Actress Chitrangda Singh echoed that argument, citing several variables such as weather disruptions and equipment failures that can derail tightly planned schedules.<\/p>\n
“Filmmaking is also driven by business realities,” she said.<\/p>\n
Industry insiders highlight the steep costs involved in large productions, where locations, crew and equipment can cost more than $26,000 per day, creating pressure to maximise shooting time.<\/p>\n
Former Cine & TV Artistes’ Association official Amit Behl said filmmakers often cannot afford to halt shoots midway, especially when a large crew or elaborate action sequences are involved.<\/p>\n
“The bungalow in which ‘Animal’\u00a0(an action blockbuster)\u00a0was shot cost 25 lakh rupees ($26,300) a day rental,” said Behl.<\/p>\n
“Then you have to prop it up with junior artistes, which is an additional expenditure besides catering, electricity, vanity vans and bouncers.”<\/p>\n
But critics argue that such explanations often mask poor planning and systemic inefficiencies, placing the burden of long hours on cast and crew.<\/p>\n
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur criticised what he called a hierarchy that prioritises top actors over technicians, saying work-life balance should apply to all on the set.<\/p>\n
“Everyone (should have) the privilege to define the hours they want to work,” he told AFP.<\/p>\n
– ‘Workaholic’ –<\/p>\n
The controversy has also highlighted disparities within the industry, where junior artistes and crew often have little negotiating power.<\/p>\n
For many, the recent debate marks a broader shift in Bollywood, with younger professionals and established stars alike beginning to challenge the long-standing norms.<\/p>\n
Yet opinions remain divided.<\/p>\n
“I have seen Shah Rukh Khan on sets working 27 hours non-stop when he had to complete a scene. He doesn’t need to do it,” Behl said, referring to the Bollywood superstar.<\/p>\n
“But you can’t leave a scene mid-way… if it is an action scene where fighters are involved, anything can happen… it is not like shutting a laptop and working for an IT company.”<\/p>\n
Some veterans, like actress Madhuri Dixit, frame the issue as a personal choice rather than a structural problem.<\/p>\n
“We did a 12-hour shift or maybe more every day for ‘Mrs Deshpande’,” she told AFP, mentioning the 2025 crime thriller.<\/p>\n
“But if a woman wants to work (fewer) hours, that is her prerogative, her life… more power to her. To each his own, I’m a workaholic!”<\/p>\n
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