Deepika Padukone Deserves 8-Hour Workdays As A New Mom, Says Vikrant Massey: 'I Aspire To...'
Vikrant Massey supports Deepika Padukone's 8-hour work shift request, says she deserves it as a young mother. Plans to adopt same model in his career.
The debate around work-life balance in Bollywood is heating up—especially after reports emerged that Deepika Padukone exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit due to her requests for an eight-hour workday, profit-sharing, and language flexibility being turned down. Now, her Chhapaak co-star Vikrant Massey has spoken up in support of the idea, saying he, too, hopes to adopt a similar working model soon.
In an interview with Firstpost, Vikrant addressed whether such a shift in Bollywood's rigorous shooting culture is realistic. 'I aspire to do something like that very soon. Maybe in a couple of years… I want to go out and say, we can collaborate, but I would only work for eight hours," he shared. However, he was quick to add that it must remain a mutual decision: 'But at the same time, it should be a choice. And if my producer cannot accommodate that—because there are also a lot of other things involved when you are making a film…"
Massey also acknowledged the financial implications of such a change. 'Money plays a very important role, and I will have to reduce my fees as I will be working for eight hours instead of twelve," he said. 'If I cannot give my producer twelve hours a day, I cannot go out there and not reduce my fee. I ought to reduce my fee. It's a give-and-take, right?"
In a show of solidarity, Vikrant also added, 'And as a young mother, I think Deepika deserves it."
Deepika Padukone was originally cast as the female lead in Spirit, starring Prabhas. However, reports suggest she stepped away from the film after the makers declined several of her requests—one being a fixed eight-hour workday, another being a share in the film's profits, and the third concerning her not wanting to deliver dialogues in Telugu. She was later replaced by Animal star Triptii Dimri.
Meanwhile, Vikrant is looking forward to the release of Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, a romantic drama that marks Shanaya Kapoor's Bollywood debut. Directed by Santosh Singh and produced by Mansi and Varun Bagla under Zee Studios and Mini Films, the film is adapted from Ruskin Bond's short story The Eyes Have It and is set to hit cinemas on July 11.
Deepika Padukone, who recently welcomed her first child, will next be seen in Atlee's pan-India action project AA22×A6, opposite Allu Arjun.
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