Kajal Aggarwal Backs Deepika Padukone 8 Hour Shift Demand

The male stars in the Hindi film industry have long enjoyed the privilege of fixed working shifts. Yet, when Deepika Padukone reportedly sought the same, it sparked a debate that continues to make headlines, with several actresses stepping forward in her support. The latest to voice her support is Kajal Aggarwal. In a recent interview with Zoom, Kajal revealed that she, too, has introduced specific clauses in her contracts after becoming a mother.

“I also have clauses written in my contract now where I specify my working hours and say that I don’t work on Sundays, so that I can dedicate that time to my child. I can’t work around the clock like I used to,” Kajal said. Explaining her decision, she added, “It’s all about priorities. You work so hard to eventually be in a position of choice, to be in a place where you can make a very simple request, and it’s not too much to ask for. It happens in the corporate world. It happens everywhere. Why not in the film industry as well?”

Kajal isn’t the only actress to have backed Deepika. Earlier, Kangana Ranaut had echoed similar sentiments. Speaking to ANI, Kangana said, “Both Deepika and I are born in 1986, and we started our careers around the same time, in 2006-07. Where she stands today is something she has earned. Today, she is the topmost actress. If she wants to work for just eight hours, she has earned that.”

Recalling their early days in the industry, Kangana shared, “I remember we were doing the same interview on Aamir Khan’s show Satyamev Jayate. She mentioned working 12-hour shifts for an Imtiaz Ali film. I told her I worked 10 hours, and she said, ‘That’s amazing.’ Back then, we wouldn’t settle for anything less than 12 to 14 hours. We were hungry, driven and wanted success. To each their own.”

She further explained, “When you’re new and replaceable, your position is different. But where she is today—being a mother and having a family—she has earned a space where people should say, ‘We want her,’ and adjust accordingly, even if it means working around her eight-hour schedule.”

Deepika’s demand for an eight-hour workday became a major talking point after reports emerged that she exited two high-profile South Indian projects—Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, and the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin. While multiple reasons were cited for her departure, one of the most widely reported was her request for an eight-hour shift following the birth of her daughter, Dua, as she sought to maintain a healthier work-life balance.

Addressing the controversy, Deepika told CNBC-TV18, “By virtue of being a woman, if that’s coming across as pushy or whatever, then so be it. But it is no secret that a lot of superstars, male superstars in the Indian film industry, have been working for eight hours for years, and it’s never made headlines.”

She added, “I don’t want to take names now and make this into a whole thing, but it is very commonly and publicly known that many male actors have been working for eight hours a day for years. Many of them only work eight hours from Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends.”

Deepika will next be seen alongside Shah Rukh Khan in King. She will also be seen in Atlee’s next, also starring Allu Arjun. She is currently expecting her second child.