Anurag Basu backs Deepika Padukone's 8-hour work shift demand: ‘My actors never complain about stress at work’

Anurag Basu opened up about the 8-hour work shift demand, revealed he doesn't like to work for long hours too.

Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone's reported exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit sparked a debate about working hours in the film industry. Many actors, including Sonakshi Sinha, Neha Dhupia, and Vikrant Massey, have shown support for the actor’s 8-hour shift demand. Now, in an interview with Firstpost, Anurag Basu has also backed Deepika.

Anurag Basu says he agrees to Deepika Padukone's 8-hour work shift demand.

Anurag Basu supports Deepika Padukone's 8-hour shift demand

When asked about his thoughts on Deepika's 8-hour shift request, Anurag said, "I also don’t like long-hour shifts at work. My actors never complain about long hours or stress at work. So, I absolutely agree with what Deepika Padukone had to say. It’s a film; I never give my actors a chance to complain about this."

He further explained his style of working and added, "I want my actors to be very happy on set and know their character well. I don’t give too much information to them before the shoot begins. Let them discover their roles, and this is the method I have been following for ages."

Deepika was earlier in talks to star opposite Prabhas in Spirit, the upcoming action film directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. However, after her reported exit from the project, speculation arose that she had demanded an 8-hour workday, a share in the film’s profits, and requested not to deliver her dialogues in Telugu—conditions which allegedly did not sit well with the filmmaker. She was later replaced by Triptii Dimri.

About Anurag Basu’s recent directorial

Anurag Basu is currently garnering praise for his recent release, Metro... In Dino. The musical romantic drama is a spiritual sequel to Basu’s Life in a... Metro (2007), starring Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Ali Fazal, and Fatima Sana Shaikh. The film weaves together four intersecting love stories set across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, exploring modern romance, heartbreak, second chances, and emotional growth. It has received a positive response from the audience, earning ₹22.15 crore in five days.