Rana Daggubati weighs in on Deepika Padukone's exit from Spirit and debate on work hours: 'It's a choice, not compulsion'

Reports about Deepika Padukone's departure from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit prompted Rana Daggubati to join the discussion about fixed working hours in India's film business. More people started talking about the working conditions on film sets after this, especially regarding the top actors.

Deepika, who recently became a mother, allegedly left the project after the denial of her request for an 8-hour workweek. The matter became more heated when Vanga made a mysterious social media post in which he accused a former partner of betraying trust and engaging in a "dirty PR game". Neither the actor nor the filmmaker explicitly named anyone involved.

Rana Daggubati weighs in with broader perspective on industry practices

When asked about the bigger picture, Daggubati responded calmly in an interview with The Lallantop. He stressed that India is still a developing nation and is not a developed nation. Based on per capita income, India's economy is likely ranked 186th in the world. His family is from Madras, where the Telugu cinema business was based. He added that a large number of families, along with hundreds of others, uprooted their lives and sought employment in a different location. Therefore, it is not a job for him; it is a way of life. Additionally, Daggubati added that it varies from project to project and from person to person; there is a great deal of variation across states in this regard.

The actor explained further, illustrating how different industries' work schedules varied; for example, in Maharashtra, it's a 12-hour shift, and in Telugu, it's an 8-hour shift. However, although they begin at 7 in the morning in Telugu, one begins at 9 am in Maharashtra. Daggubati revealed that location, city, and whether or not it was shot in a studio all contribute to the uniqueness of the experience. Shooting on a set requires more planning than shooting in a studio, which is more conducive to relaxation. Therefore, the requirements vary by project, and this should not be interpreted as a general statement; some people seem to believe otherwise.

Witness Rana Daggubati’s powerful performances across Leader, Nenu Naa Rakshasi, Rudhramadevi, and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion—now streaming on OTTplay Premium.

Rana Debunks the idea of ‘forced’ long hours for actors

The actor also addressed a common misconception that performers are "forced" to work long hours on set. He said everyone is free to do what they like, and this is a real job. To put it another way, no one can make them do this project and it's up to them. Daggubati said that the things that truly matter to each individual are subjective. He did mention that some performers just shot for four hours, but it was just their method of working.

Although Vanga did not specifically mention Deepika by name in his X (formerly Twitter) post, he did imply a violation of trust. His post read, "When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, you’ve ‘DISCLOSED’ the person that you are…. Putting down a younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for? As a filmmaker, I put years of hard work behind my craft, & for me, filmmaking is everything. You didn’t get it. You won’t get it. You will never get it."

This occurrence has highlighted the need for organised rules about working hours at a time when discussions about work-life balance are becoming increasingly prominent in the entertainment sector.