Deepika Padukone and director Sandeep Reddy Vanga reportedly parted ways over a disagreement regarding an 8-hour work schedule, which ultimately led to the actress walking out of his upcoming film Spirit. The fallout has fueled ongoing discussions around differing work ethics. Adding to the conversation, actress Banita Sandhu has now voiced her perspective on the matter.
Banita Sandhu recalls calling out 18-hour shifts: “Told producers this is not okay”
In an interview with SCREEN, the October actress reflected on encountering a similar challenge in the past. In contrast, she noted that Hollywood operates with several unions in place to safeguard the interests of both actors and crew members.
Banita Sandhu shared her thoughts, saying, “It is so important. One thing that we have in the West is really strong unions. They protect actors and crew. I have always been a firm believer in 12-hour turnovers for everybody on sets. We are not at war, we are making movies.”
She further stated, “I do not think anyone’s mental health should be sacrificed for that. At the end of the day, it is a job, and everyone deserves an adequate amount of rest and sleep. It is a basic human right.”
Reflecting on her experience in Hindi cinema, Banita Sandhu noted that work-life balance is gradually improving. However, the actress revealed that the early years of her career were far from ideal. She told the outlet, “With Hindi cinema, it is getting better now. But early in my career, when I really did not understand how industries work, I just assumed this was the way to work. I did 16-18 hours a day shifts, where producers aligned my schedule. I would shoot the whole day and then fly at night.”
Banita Sandhu further shared that speaking up about unfair working conditions came at a cost, as she believes it led to her being “blacklisted” from the industry. She said, “I did not sleep for 24 hours straight. I stood up for myself and the crew. I told the producers that this is not okay. Maybe, I am blacklisted from that industry now, but I don’t care. I just believe in standing up for what’s right.”
Banita Sandhu is currently appearing in the film Detective Sherdil, where she stars alongside Diljit Dosanjh, Boman Irani, Diana Penty, Ratna Pathak Shah, and Chunky Panday in prominent roles. Directed by Ravi Chhabriya, the comedy whodunnit is available for streaming on ZEE5.
More Pages: Detective Sherdil Box Office Collection
, Detective Sherdil Movie Review
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