Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has shared a measured and pragmatic perspective on the ongoing industry debate regarding actors demanding fixed 8-to-9-hour work shifts, a controversy recently sparked by reports concerning Deepika Padukone. During a recent interaction, the Thappad and Article 15 director addressed whether he would be comfortable hiring an actor who insists on such specific working conditions. Rather than taking a side, Sinha emphasized the fundamental nature of professional contracts, stating that if a filmmaker finds an actor’s conditions—such as a fixed shift—unacceptable or incompatible with their production style, the simplest solution is to not work with them. He highlighted that every actor has the right to set their terms, just as every director or producer has the right to choose their collaborators based on those terms. By framing the issue as a matter of mutual consent and professional boundaries, Sinha aimed to de-escalate the tension surrounding the “8-hour shift” row, suggesting that the film industry functions best when expectations are clear from the outset. This discussion comes at a time when the Hindi film industry is increasingly grappling with labor standards, work-life balance, and the logistical challenges of big-budget filmmaking where long hours have traditionally been the norm.
Anubhav Sinha Breaks Silence on Deepika Padukone’s 8-Hour Shift Controversy
