Deepika Padukone is currently at the vortex of a heated industry debate, how many hours should a working mother dedicate to her profession when her baby is waiting at home? The film fraternity stands divided. While some defend Deepika’s right to balance work and motherhood, others argue that filmmaking isn’t and never can be a strict 9-to-5 job.
Deepika Padukone’s 8-hour work rule sparks debate: Hansal Mehta, Hema Malini, and Sharmila Tagore weigh in
Although Deepika hasn’t directly addressed reports about her opting out of certain projects like Kalki due to her insistence on an eight-hour workday, she did touch upon the subject of mental wellness at a recent event in Madhya Pradesh.
However, not everyone in the industry supports her self-imposed guideline.
An actress who has successfully balanced motherhood and stardom shared her candid take, “My father was a producer, so I know how tough it is to put together a project. I’ve seen actors arrive hours late for shooting while every second lost is money lost. I’ve seen actresses locked up in their vanity vans with their boyfriends while the entire unit waits for her highness to finish her business. I’ve myself looked after home, husband, and children and shot for films. We can’t say these many hours only. This is not a 9-5 job.”
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta shared a nuanced view, striking a balance between practicality and empathy. “I believe balance is essential. Work, rest, family, friends, and time for oneself are not indulgences they are integral to both health and to the quality of work we create. The normalisation of 12-hour working days feels exploitative. It should be the exception, not the standard.”
Recalling one of his own experiences, Mehta added, “I remember a film I once worked on where I would finish the day’s work within 8–9 hours. Almost immediately, the producers would rush in, asking me to do ‘a little more.’ Ironically, the film ended up taking longer than scheduled. Time wasn’t saved; on the contrary, it was wasted. Hours were stretched, not utilised.”
He concluded with a reminder about compassion in the industry, “The need is efficiency and economy but not at the cost of people. We must care about the physical and mental health of those who keep this industry running. It is not about the individual star or director they are usually well looked after. It is about those who arrive earliest, leave last, and often have the least protection. For them especially, we need to care.”
Veteran actress and parliamentarian Hema Malini offered a pragmatic perspective, emphasizing the importance of support systems, “I wouldn’t like to comment on anyone else. To each her own. But as far as I am concerned, I never had a problem balancing my work with my motherly duties. I was always there while my two daughters, Esha and Ahana, were growing up. No, I never took them to my shootings. I never had to. What you need is someone to support you. My mother was always there to look after my children when I was working.”
The ever-graceful Sharmila Tagore recalled her days managing motherhood alongside a flourishing career, “I wouldn’t call myself a perfect mother. But yes, I made sure I was there for Saif, Saba, and Soha. I don’t think they ever felt neglected because of my work. In Hindi cinema, some of my best works came after I was a mother. I was carrying Saif while shooting for Choti Bahu. Later, after his birth, I used to take him to my sets and locations. He used to get along with my co-stars, especially Shashi Kapoor.”
Sharmila also reflected on how times have changed, “I think we women are intrinsically multi-taskers. Managing home and work millions of women do it in other professions. Nowadays it is so much easier as the male spouse also shares parenting responsibilities. Look at Kareena and Saif, Ranbir and Alia.”
In the end, Deepika’s choice to prioritize her baby over back-to-back shoots is understandable even admirable. But as the experiences of stalwarts like Sharmila Tagore, Hema Malini, and countless working mothers prove, it is possible to find a balance between work and motherhood.
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