Ishaan Khatter weighs in on work hours amid Deepika Padukone 8-hour shift demand: ‘It's a very privileged position to…'

Ishaan Khatter shared that a person needs to be "considerate of the working environment." Here's what he said on 8-hour shift demand.

Amid a row over Deepika Padukone's demand for an 8-hour work shift, actor Ishaan Khatter has opened up on what he thinks. Speaking with NDTV, Ishaan said that "it's a very privileged position to be able to say that I'm okay to work these many hours." He added that he has been on sets where sometimes "the protocol of time has been abused even."

Ishaan Khatter opens up on 8-hour shift demand

Ishaan Khatter opened up 8 8-hour work shifts after the Deepika Padukone demand row.

Ishaan Khatter shared that a person needs to be "considerate of the working environment." "To be considerate is to understand that it's a very privileged position to be in as an actor - to be able to say that I'm okay to work these many hours. But there are people in the crew who come in an hour before you, and they have to pack up and leave later. It takes them longer to go back home, so you need to be considerate of the working environment, and decisions should be taken accordingly, I think. That's one thing," he said.

He also added that there are people who want to finish the work irrespective of the hours it takes to complete it. "But what we do is a profession of passion, and often you see people consensually wanting to finish the day's work and not go home without completely completing their desire and imagination, and letting it come to life the way they want. So it happens. But yeah, I think the thing that's important is to be considerate of everybody's time and effort," he added.

All about the 8-hour shift demand in film industry

The actor wanted to work not more than eight hours a day during the shoot so that she could be with her daughter, Dua. However, her demands weren't met, and she exited the film. Recently, Vyjayanthi Movies announced that she is no longer a part of the Kalki 2898 AD sequel. In their statement, they said that they decided to part ways with Deepika after "careful consideration," adding that a film like Kalki deserves a higher level of "commitment."

About Ishaan's recent film

Ishaan has been basking in the success of his latest film, Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. The film is India's official entry for the Oscars 2026. Homebound revolves around the story of two childhood friends, Shoaib (played by Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (played by Vishal Jethwa), who dream of becoming police officers to escape the discrimination that shapes their lives. As their hopes clash with harsh realities, the film paints a moving portrait of friendship, identity, and resilience in rural India.