Deepika Padukone addresses the 8 hour work shift controversy

In an interview with a television channel, actress Deepika Padukone addresses the 8 hour work shift controversy that saw her dropping out of Spirit and Kalki part 2. Here is what the actress said-

When the anchor asked there is a lot of pushback coming your way Deepika answered,”

If by virtue of being a woman if that is coming across as being pushy so be it, but it is no secret that a lot of male superstars in the Indian film industry have been working for 8 hours for years and it has never made headlines. I don’t want to take any names now but it is very commonly publicly known that a lot of male actors who have been working for 8 hours. A lot of them working only from Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends. I think the largely issue is that while the Indian film industry is termed as a industry we never worked as an industry. We a re a disorganized industry. And I think it is time that we brought in some sort of systems into this culture. I also know a lot of women now, newly turned mother who have also  started working for 8 hours but that also didn’t make headlines so am not sure about this myself.

Will you have to pay a price, ” asks the anchor. Deepika replied, “I have done this at many levels. This is not new to me. Even as far as pay is concerned you know I had to deal with whatever comes with you know…I don’t even know what to call it but I a someone who have fought my battles silently and for some strange reason sometimes they become public which is not the way I know and not the way I have been brought up but yes to fight my battles I had to do it silently and in a dignified way is the way I know.”