- Preity Zinta worked 18-hour days during the shoot to finish quickly and return to her kids
- She described the film shoot as tough with long hours and challenging conditions
- Deepika Padukone stated that eight hours of work daily is enough for body and mind health
Preity Zinta has shared her thoughts on the eight-hour workday debate involving Deepika Padukone. The actor was indirectly asked about Deepika's stance on working hours and how she manages long shoots herself, especially as a mother.
At the trailer launch of Vibe, Preity revealed that she worked for nearly 18 hours a day while shooting for the film. Speaking about it, she said the shoots were very long almost every day. However, she explained that she was willing to put in those hours.
"I was working 18 hours because I wanted to finish my work as soon as possible to return to America to be with my kids. My whole focus was, 'It's okay, I'll come, I'll finish it, bas mera kaam jaldi khatam karo.' That was my reason," she said.
Preity Zinta On Long Working Hours
Preity also explained that film shoots can be demanding because of several factors. She said that even though the film is a comedy, shooting it was not always a fun experience.
"When you look at comedy, not everyone is laughing on set. You want to get the job done. There was a lot of action; there were other variables; sometimes it was raining, sometimes we were sick. So, keeping that in mind, my whole thing was that I didn't mind doing it because, for me, I was coming to India, and I was here for 30 to 40 days. So, every single day, I went to shoot, and I came back, and I didn't even get one day or one evening. It was a tough shoot."
What Deepika Padukone Said About The 8-Hour Shift Demand Earlier
The year 2025 was a significant one for Deepika Padukone. Her opinion on an 8-hour workday for female actors sparked a wide range of reactions.
In a conversation with Harper's Bazaar, she said, "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."
Deepika further elaborated that her office follows a strict five-day, eight-hour work policy.
She said, "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."
On the other hand, 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 many superstars, male superstars, in the Indian film industry, have been working for 8 hours for years, and it's never made headlines!"
Deepika added, "I don't want to take names now and make this into a whole thing, but it is widely, publicly known that many male actors have been working for 8 hours a day for years. Many of them only work for 8 hours from Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends."
She criticised the industry's ingrained "chalta hai" (let it be) culture, calling it disorganised and unstructured, and emphasised the urgent need for systemic change.
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