Deepika Padukone breaks silence on 8-hour workday demand; says, ‘We mistake burnout for commitment’

Deepika Padukone finally speaks on her 8 hour shift demand

Deepika Padukone has finally addressed the conversation surrounding her decision to insist on an 8-hour workday after embracing motherhood, a move that reportedly led to her stepping away from major upcoming films such as Kalki 2 and Spirit.

The actress, who welcomed her first child Dua this year, is now opening up about the pressures new mothers face and why healthier working norms should no longer be viewed as unreasonable.

In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Deepika spoke about how motherhood has reshaped her priorities and deepened her understanding of the need for support systems. “Every cliché is true. When mothers say, ‘You’ll understand when you become one,’ it’s true. I have so much more respect for my mother now. You can plan how you think you’ll navigate work and motherhood, but the reality is very different. I feel strongly about how new mothers need to be supported when they return to work. That’s something I want to focus on,” she said.

Her comments arrive after weeks of speculation suggesting that producers were unable to accommodate her 8-hour shift policy, prompting her exit from high-profile projects. Deepika, however, is clear that her stance stems from a larger concern about toxic work culture.

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“We’ve normalised overworking. We mistake burnout for commitment. Eight hours of work a day is enough for the human body and mind. Only when you’re healthy can you give your best. Bringing a burnt-out person back into the system helps no one. In my own office, we work eight hours a day, Monday to Friday. We have maternity and paternity policies. We should normalise bringing children to work,” she added.

The actress has long been vocal about structural inequities within the industry, including pay parity. Addressing the topic again in an interview with CNBC-TV18, she had said, “I have done this at many levels; this is not new to me. I think, even as far as pay is concerned, I have had to deal with whatever comes with it. I don’t even know what to call it, but I am someone who has always 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’ve been brought up. But yes, to fight my battles silently and in a dignified way is the way I know."

Deepika was last seen in Kalki 2898 AD and is now busy with King, co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, and Suhana Khan under the direction of Sidharth Anand.