Famous director Kabir Khan has openly defended Deepika Padukone after rumours circulated that she and director Sandeep Reddy Vanga had a falling out over Deepika's demand for an eight-hour workday.
Kabir supported Deepika's stance in an interview with Movified, claiming that set working hours on movie sets are not only reasonable but also essential for everyone's wellbeing.
The Chandu Champion director emphasised the significance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance in the film industry. “I work with 500 people on a set—each has a family and a life beyond work. Mental health and efficiency are just as important,” Kabir explained, echoing Deepika’s sentiments about humane working hours.
He called her request for a formal 8-hour shift a “fair point.”
Kabir further highlighted that some of Bollywood’s biggest stars already follow similar routines. “Aamir Khan works on an 8-hour shift. Akshay Kumar too. So I don’t see why Deepika should be denied the same,” he said.
He also revealed that on his own sets, he avoids pushing schedules beyond standard hours, refuses to shoot on the seventh day of the week, and discourages overtime, describing them as “basic rules.”
Responding to speculation around Deepika’s reported Rs 25 crore fee for the upcoming film Spirit, Kabir addressed ongoing debates about pay parity in the industry. He insisted that the focus should not be on gender but on the actor’s capacity to draw in audiences. “Whoever brings in the viewers, whether it’s an actor, director, man or woman… they deserve to be paid what they’re worth. Deepika consistently pulls crowds, so she rightly commands the fee she does.”
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Kabir concluded by asserting that all actors are entitled to establish professional boundaries. “If a filmmaker doesn’t agree, they should have a valid reason. It’s that simple.”
On the work front, Deepika was just revealed as a member of the cast of AA22 X A6, a fast-paced action movie directed by Atlee and starring Allu Arjun. According to the teaser, she will play a fierce warrior princess.
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