Since Deepika Padukone’s exit from the Telugu films Spirit and Kalki 2898 AD over a reported demand for an 8-hour workday, conversations in the film industry have all been about whether it’s even feasible. Rana Daggubati, Dulquer Salmaan and The GOAT producer Archana Kalapathi spoke to THR India about the same and said this. (Also Read: Keerthy Suresh explains in detail a day in the life of an actor, why Deepika Padukone's 8 hour shift demand is ideal)
Rana Daggubati calls working in cinema a lifestyle, not a job
When Rana was asked about the conversation surrounding structured working hours, he first laughed. Then he explained in detail why he doesn’t believe it’s possible, adding, “This is not a job, it’s a lifestyle. You either choose to be in it or not. Each film will govern and ask for something else. It’s not a factory. It’s not like we sit for eight hours and the best scene is going to come out. Unless the top brass involved understands that they are creating a story and are willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen, it doesn’t trickle down. It’s hard to define it as an industry standard.”
Dulquer Salmaan says it’s costlier to shoot extra days than long hours
Dulquer mentioned how in the Malayalam film industry, working long hours in a short duration is the norm. And how he felt out of place within the Telugu film industry. He said, “In Malayalam, you just keep going, and you don’t know when you’ll finish. But it would’ve been a great, gruelling, hard day. When I did my first Telugu film (Mahanati in 2018), it was the first time in my acting career that by six I could go home. It was starkly different from shooting in Tamil, where second Sundays are off. I remember thinking that when I produce, I would do it differently. But there’s not much you can do. Going extra hours on a day is cheaper than shooting an additional day.”
{{/usCountry}}Dulquer mentioned how in the Malayalam film industry, working long hours in a short duration is the norm. And how he felt out of place within the Telugu film industry. He said, “In Malayalam, you just keep going, and you don’t know when you’ll finish. But it would’ve been a great, gruelling, hard day. When I did my first Telugu film (Mahanati in 2018), it was the first time in my acting career that by six I could go home. It was starkly different from shooting in Tamil, where second Sundays are off. I remember thinking that when I produce, I would do it differently. But there’s not much you can do. Going extra hours on a day is cheaper than shooting an additional day.”
{{/usCountry}}Archana also chimed in on the conversation and reiterated that 9-5 is ‘not possible’ in cinema. She also claimed that she likes the fact that OTT platforms insist on producers and directors meeting release dates now, as it brings more discipline to the industry. The producer also mentioned that for a massive budget film, the interest cost is so high that they choose to shoot during the holidays.
Recent work
Dulquer and Rana recently acted in and produced Kaantha via Wayfarer Films and Spirit Media. The film was released on November 14 to generally positive reviews but failed to make a significant impact at the box office. Dulquer will soon star in Aakasamlo Oka Tara in Telugu and I’m Game in Malayalam. Rana will star in the Tamil film Parasakthi.
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