Bollywood divided over reducing actors' working hours

The glitz and glamour of Bollywood are being overshadowed by a growing debate over actor working hours. A movement, spearheaded by prominent actresses like Deepika Padukone, is pushing for an eight-hour workday, challenging the long-standing norm of 12-18 hour shifts.

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Once you have succeeded in showbiz... then yes, you are in a position to choose the number of hours you want to work.

Padukone reportedly initiated the discussion last year by withdrawing from a project when producers refused to shorten her schedule to accommodate her baby. This has emboldened other actors, including Suniel Shetty and Ram Kapoor, to voice their support, with Kapoor stating that successful actors are in a position to choose their working hours.

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It's not an office job.

However, the push for shorter days faces resistance. Some argue that the nature of filmmaking, with its technical and weather-related unpredictabilities, requires flexibility. Actor Ali Fazal points out that complex action sequences or technically demanding scenes cannot be easily paused. Actress Chitrangda Singh echoes this sentiment, highlighting the economic constraints of the film industry.

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The film industry is also constrained by economic realities.

Industry insiders also emphasize the substantial daily costs of major productions, which can exceed 22,400 euros. This financial pressure makes it crucial to maximize every working hour. Amit Behl, former assistant secretary of the Indian Film and Television Artists Association, notes the difficulty of halting a shoot mid-scene, especially for action sequences, comparing it to the inability to simply close a laptop in an IT company. The high rental costs for locations, such as the one used for the film "Animal" at $26,300 per day, further underscore the economic pressures.

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We cannot leave a scene unfinished. If it's an action scene with stuntmen, anything can happen.