The debate around limited working hours in the Hindi film industry is far from dying down. The conversation, regarded much needed by a section of fraternity members and impractical by others, was kickstarted by Deepika Padukone after she reportedly walked out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit and Nag Ashwin's Kalki 2898 AD sequel.
Many actors and filmmakers have shared their respective views on the 8-hour shift debate, with Thamma director Aditya Sarpotdar being the latest one.
Reacting to the hot-button topic that has dominated the entertainment headlines for most part of the year, the filmmaker said Thamma heroine Rashmika Mandanna pulls as long as 12-hour shifts without any complaints.
"Many times, it is taken for granted that everyone will work 24 hours, and it takes a toll both physically and mentally. I think a 12-hour shift is very understandable and practical when you are shooting. To do anything beyond that is not right. I have seen situations where people don't even get a chance to go home between schedules, and it is a very unfair practice.
"As for Rashmika, she works for 12 hours - never once has she said that she is tired. Maybe because she is at that point in life where she can pull it off, but it shouldn't be one rule applied to all. I do feel that if an actor and a director come on the same page, only then should they work together," Aditya Sarpotdar told News18.
Commenting directly on Deepika Padukone's demand for fixed working hours, the Thamma director said it can't be a one-size-fits-all solution.
"I think, as an actor, you have to look a certain way on camera. And the demand that is coming, we need to understand its background. Deepika started the conversation, so you have to understand where it is coming from and why she is demanding 8 hours - there is no sense in giving a generic statement to it," he added.
Aditya Sarpotdar, also known for Munjya, said it is the director's responsibility to look after their team, like they did in the case of Paresh Rawal who also stars in Thamma.
"For example, when Paresh ji came on board, he was battling health issues. There was a point when he said he wouldn't be able to do the film as doctors had advised him to take rest. So we said, 'Sir, hum kam time mein aapka kaam khatam karenge.' It is our responsibility to take care of him," he recalled.
In a previous interview, Rashmika Mandanna said she tends to overwork, a quality that she believes is "unsustainable", adding she has learned the hard way that having structured work hours is important in the long run.
"Do what's comfortable for you, do what is right for you, get those 8 hours, get those 9-10 hours also, because trust me, that's going to save you later. I've seen a lot of these conversations recently about work hours. I've done both, and I'm telling you this is not worth it.
"But if I could choose for myself, I would say, please don't make us actors do that. Like offices have 9-5, let us have that. Because there's still a family life I want to focus on, there's still my sleep that I want to get in, and I still want to work out so that later on I'm not regretting it. I am still thinking about my future, but right now I don't have a say because I'm taking on too much," she had told Gulte.
Thamma, which released during the Diwali week, has earned Rs 121.80 crore at the domestic box office. The horror comedy also stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Rashmika Mandanna will next be seen in The Girlfriend, directed by Rahul Ravindran. The Telugu film hits theatres on Friday.
