Renowned Bollywood Actress Vidya Balan voiced her strong support for a more empathetic and flexible work culture in the film industry. Her statement comes right in the middle of a heated debate, after Deepika Padukone’s demand for an eight-hour workday reportedly led to her exit from prominent director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film, Spirit.

What started the Conversation

Bollywood was set abuzz recently when Deepika Padukone, one of India’s top actresses, asked for eight-hour workdays to strike a better balance between her new family life and her film commitments. This request came soon after Deepika became a mother and was reportedly one of the reasons for her stepping away from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s much-discussed film, Spirit. Her demand stirred a debate in the industry.

Noted filmmaker Suneel Darshan termed Deepika’s eight-hour shift demand as “unreal” and commented that if actors insist on shorter shifts, they must cosign a promise to be fully productive during those hours. Darshan said, “No actor is irreplaceable in the industry. There was a time when Deepika was not part of the industry. There will always be new talent ready to step in.” Nevertheless, Deepika found strong support from several colleagues including Vikrant Massey, Rashmika Mandanna, Anurag Basu, and also from another strong female voice in the industry, Kajol. Many actors argued that it is only fair for artists to demand reasonable hours, especially when they are balancing family commitments.

Director Siddharth P Malhotra recalled how Rani Mukerji had worked strictly limited hours on the sets of Hichki after the birth of her child, without compromising the film’s quality or commercial success. Malhotra insisted that asking for family time is not wrong and such working conditions are not new for Bollywood. Experienced stars like Kajol also noted that she never needed to work for 20 hours a day thanks to understanding producers and a supportive industry environment.

Vidya Balan’s Perspective on Flexible Hours

Speaking clearly in support of more humane work practices, Vidya Balan emphasised the importance of flexibility, especially for women who are new mothers or have young children. She stated, “I think for mothers with young children, there should definitely be some consideration.” Vidya argued that if an actress is a new mother, production houses ought to accommodate her with flexible hours that allow her to balance career and family responsibilities.

She pressed the need for empathy rather than judgement on such requests, remarking, “Let’s not judge people for wanting these things—this is about empathy and understanding, not just convenience.” Vidya maintained that making artists comfortable in their work environment benefits everyone: “In today’s times, I don’t see why it’s so tough to let people, especially mothers, have some flexibility. Making people comfortable will only help them work better and be more committed.”

Highlighting the broader implications, Vidya commented that real change in the film industry must include systems of genuine support for working women. “If the world outside of films is slowly shifting to more balanced work cultures, Bollywood too must keep pace,” she insisted.

For Vidya, the central point was simple but powerful: the industry should strive to create conditions where no artist—particularly women—should have to choose between their professional passion and their personal life. Her candid statements have reinvigorated the call for work environments in Bollywood where “women feel secure enough to return to work without worrying about family responsibilities being neglected.”

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