Kunal Kemmu on Deepika Padukone’s 8-hour workweek demand row: “You can't say you want to get paid more and work less'

Kunal Kemmu reacts to Deepika Padukone controversy

• Deepika Padukone's 8-hour workweek sparked industry debate
• Kunal Kemmu: Know job pros and cons before seeking changes
• Deepika's demand led to her exit from Spirit and Kalki 2

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Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone made headlines last year over her views on an eight-hour workweek for female actors, which had sparked a debate in the film industry.

Kunal Kemmu has now expressed his thoughts on the significance of understanding the advantages and disadvantages of the position. He discussed the need of understanding the expectations associated with the profession in general.

During a recent episode of Soha Ali Khan's podcast, Kunal Kemmu said, "Sometimes we say now I want to do this much work and spend time here. Then you leave the job. Then don't say I want to be the bigger superstar. I want to be working on 10 films a year. You choose what you want to do. Know that it will come with its pros and cons and that you signed up for it."

He added, "You can't say in the middle of it that you want to get paid more and work less because now you feel like doing something else. If you want to be a bigger superstar and work in many films a year, you have to accept the effort that comes with it."

According to Soha Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone's demand for more stringent work hours on set has sparked a recent discussion on the same. She restated the actress's ability to "call the shots" in this regard.

Kunal responded, "Of course, I am also not saying just genders and actors. But also generations. We have these conversations around how Gen Z don't want to work too much and millennials did. But they also want to chill and have these exploration trips. Then don't say woh mujhse 12 ghante zyaada kaam kar ke aap se zyaada salary le raha hai toh problem hai. Woh holiday pe nahi ja raha hai toh woh bhi problem hai. I also think you can take 8 hours or 4 hours."

The actor elaborated, "You become the producer, put in the money and then you are the boss. Then you can say that I will be working only for this many hours, then you will know you will not finish the movie on time, and it will cost so much and I will lose money. It is very easy to do this on somebody else's part.”

Also Read: Rani Mukerji exits Akshay Kumar’s Oh My Goddess over creative differences: Report

He continued, “So empower yourself. Reach a place where it's possible to do and then do it. But you can't say, you give me a job, and then I'll come and tell you how to do the job and then pay me. Then I'll be like then you do the job. Why am I suffering by taking you for this job. I am saying this in general."

Deepika’s 8-hour shift demand led to her exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit and Kalki 2.