Anubhav Sinha says Deepika Padukone’s eight-hour work-shift talk shouldn’t be blown into controversy

Anubhav Sinha says Deepika Padukone’s eight-hour work-shift talk shouldn’t be blown into controversy

• Anubhav Sinha says actors can set their own work boundaries
• He urges against making controversies over work hour preferences
• Sinha calls for professionalism and mutual consent in Bollywood

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Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has weighed in on the ongoing industry debate sparked by Deepika Padukone’s reported stance on eight-hour work shifts, saying that professionals in Bollywood have the right to set their own boundaries and that there’s no need to manufacture controversy around such discussions.

Anubhav Sinha, known for films like Article 15 and Assi, offered his views in a recent conversation with a journalist, framing the issue as one of professional choice and mutual consent rather than conflict.

Questioned about the conversation around Deepika’s comment favouring fixed working hours on sets — something that reportedly even played a part in her exiting Spirit due to creative and schedule disagreements — Sinha made it clear that he wasn’t interested in industry gossip but rather the principle behind it.

In a recent discussion with journalist Shubhankar Mishra, Anubhav, 60, said, "If an actor wants to work six hours a day, and you’re not okay with it, then don’t work with that actor. It’s as simple as that."

Anubhav Sinha pointed to past examples — including veteran actors who have set conditions around night shoots or other specifics — to illustrate that such preferences are not unheard of in Bollywood, and they don’t inherently justify media controversies. His remarks reflected a call for professionalism and discretion rather than sensationalism.

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While the eight-hour shift debate has ignited broader discussions about working conditions, work-life balance and gender norms in the industry, Anubhav urged people not to get bogged down in polarized arguments. The focus, he suggested, should be on allowing artists and producers to negotiate terms that work for both sides without escalating every personal preference into a public feud.