Mani Ratnam, the filmmaker, expressed his support for Deepika Padukone.
The renowned director Mani Ratnam has endorsed actress Deepika Padukone’s purported desire for an eight-hour workday and placed his weight behind efforts for better work-life balance in the Indian film business. In an interview with NDTV for his Kamal Haasan-starring movie Thug Life, Ratnam discussed the difficulties experienced by young mothers who work.
“It’s fair if she’s a young mother and needs to take care of her child, and she chooses something that will allow her to do so without any hindrance,” he remarked with conviction.
“I think it’s nice when women ask for what they want and get what they want,” Ratnam said, complimenting Deepika’s tenacity. It’s a pretty positive indication.
Days before to Ratnam’s remarks, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga had accused Deepika Padukone of being “unprofessional” in what was perceived as a jab. According to industry insiders, Deepika Padukone, who was to collaborate with Vanga on his next movie Spirit, requested eight-hour shifts in order to spend more time with her daughter, Dua.
According to reports, Sandeep Reddy Vanga replaced Deepika with Triptii Dimri, who he had collaborated with on Animal, since she insisted on eight-hour workdays.
As a recent mother, Padukone has made no secret of her commitment to her family.
In response to the question of whether the industry ought to aggressively accommodate such requests, Mani Ratnam said, “I think so.”
“If it doesn’t fit into your film, move on,” the filmmaker continued, providing a practical answer. However, their requests should be respected. We should accept their reasonable demand and figure out how to live with it because it is vitally important.
This development has generated a great deal of discussion on sustainable working standards in Bollywood, especially for parents, thanks to Padukone’s stance and Ratnam’s support.
Saif Ali Khan, an actor, recently expressed similar opinions. “I hate coming home and seeing the kids already asleep,” Khan stated during the 2025 Arab Media Summit. Success isn’t that. Being able to say, “No, I have to go home now to spend that half hour with them,” is a sign of success.
Actors Kajol and Ajay Devgn backed the actors’ call for eight-hour shifts last week.
“The majority of honest filmmakers would not object to new mothers working eight-hour shifts,” Devgn stated. In addition, the majority of people have begun working eight hours, with the exception of new mothers. I believe it varies from person to person, and the majority of the industry is aware of this.
Mani Ratnam’s support shows that powerful people increasingly view requests for family time and regulated schedules—once considered unorthodox in the 24-hour milieu of the film industry—as not only normal but also necessary. Particularly for parents, the discussion of striking a balance between personal wellbeing and work commitment is gaining traction.
On June 5, Thug Life, which brings together legendary actors Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan after over forty years apart, will be released.
