Genelia Deshmukh is all set for her big return to the silver screen with the upcoming film, Sitaare Zameen Par, co-starring Aamir Khan, and she is currently busy promoting the same. During a recent interview, the actress opened up about the importance of maintaining a work-life balance amid tight schedules, emphasising the need for proper understanding and adjustment in the face of everything.
Amid Deepika Padukone’s work hour demands, Genelia Deshmukh says 10-hour shifts are manageable
During a recent conversation on Zoom, Genelia Deshmukh addressed the debate surrounding 8-hour working shifts for mothers. The Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa actress opened up about how she balances her professional commitments with her personal life as a mother of two. She explained that while difficult, she also manages 10 to 12-hour shifts when the need arises. In her words:
“It is tough, but it is not impossible. I work for 10 hours a day, and there are days when the director asks to extend it to 11 or 12 hours. I think it’s fair, but we just need time to make those adjustments. When you have a day or two where you have to overdo, it’s also an understanding and a process that needs to be done.”
Genelia’s comment about extended working hours as a mother of two comes amid the ongoing debate surrounding actors’ work shifts during projects that often interfere with their family lives. The chatter around this intensified after Deepika Padukone’s controversial exit from Spirit. For those unaware, Deepika was supposed to be Prabhas’ co-star in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, which she allegedly left after disagreements over her 8-hour shift demands as a new mother.
Prabhas’ The Raja Saab makers say the crew worked 16-hour shifts
During a recent trailer launch event in Hyderabad for Deepika’s Spirit co-star, Prabhas’ upcoming horror film, The Raja Saab, the makers addressed the ongoing discussion surrounding 8-hour shift demands. The producers explained how the crew worked for 16 to 18 hours for more than 120 days straight for this large-scale project. Speaking about the practicality of 8-hour shifts in the field, the makers shared:
“It’s already public how the film took two and a half years. The first difficult thing that we executed was that we had our big schedule post-Kalki (2898 AD), starting from the end of July or mid-August all the way to the end of December. I don’t know how Maruthi managed. He started at 6 am and ended at 11 pm, and continued this for more than 120 days… What happens is, the actors will work an eight-hour shift. I will keep some actors on one side (shift) and then [shoot with] others. But we (the crew) would work 18 hours a day — from morning, 6 am to 10 pm, we worked without fail. That is why we were able to shoot content of such quality.”
The ongoing discussion surrounding working hours in Indian cinema
The issue of long working hours in the film industry has resurfaced after Deepika Padukone exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming project, Spirit, co-starring Prabhas, when her request for an 8-hour shift as a new mother was reportedly denied. This fallout has reignited discussions on difficult working conditions in the industry, with actors like Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, and Radhika Apte expressing their support for the actress.
Meanwhile, with Sitaare Zameen Par, Genelia is finally returning to the screen after a prolonged break from acting, and fans are already looking forward to seeing her. Sitaare Zameen Par is hitting the theatres on June 20, 2025.
What are your thoughts on Genelia’s views on the long working hours of actors?
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