Saif Ali Khan emphasizes family time amid Deepika Padukone-Sandeep Reddy Vanga fallout: 'Say no to...'

Deepika Padukone's reported exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit has been on the headlines for quite some time now. The actress was dropped from Spirit, and one of the many reasons behind this was her demand for 6-hour work shifts, as she is a new mom, which the filmmakers did not think was right. Amid this, Saif Ali Khan said that family time is important and talked about success and privilege. 

Saif Ali Khan on family time

During the Arab Media Summit, Saif Ali Khan said that his idea of success is choosing family over frenzy or wildness. He said that he hates coming home and seeing the kids already asleep, and said that’s not success. 

"Success is being able to say, ‘No, I need to go home now to catch that half hour with them.’ We get four holidays a year, and when my kids are on break, I don’t work. That time is sacred. I’m at that crazy age where I have to call both my mum and my children. You think it’s just your parents you have to check on — then you realise it’s both," Saif said. 

The Jewel Thief actor also said that working is important, but so is cooking pasta together, having a meal, and focusing on the kids. "That’s the real glue of life. Success and privilege, for me, is being able to say no to work and yes to time with my family," he added. 

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Ajay Devgn on new moms demanding 8-hour shift

During the Maa trailer launch, Kajol and Ajay Devgn also supported the new moms' demand for working 8 hours. Ajay said, "It's not that it is not going down well with people. A lot of people understand. Most of the honest filmmakers would not have a problem with it."

He also added that, other than new moms working for 8 hours, most people have started working for 8 hours, and he thinks it's person-to-person, and most of the industry understands.

About Spirit

Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, is a police-love story where Prabhas plays a tough police officer. After Deepika's departure, Tripti Dimri was cast as a doctor who develops a love affair while facing challenging situations in the film. The film is planned as a pan-world release, with distribution in India and other countries.

Meanwhile, speaking about Deepika and Vanga's fallout, reports suggested that Deepika was dropped from the film due to one of her demands to work for a 6-hour shift as she is a new mother, and this did not sit well with Vanga. 

The filmmaker wrote on X, "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."

Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone's work front

On the work front, Saif will next be seen in the action thriller Race 4, a biopic directed by Rahul Dholakia. He also has an untitled project with Priyadarshan and a social thriller with Hansal Mehta in the pipeline. 

On the other hand, Deepika has reportedly joined Shah Rukh Khan in his upcoming film King, which also stars Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Abhay Verma, Rani Mukerji, Saurabh Shukla, and others in key roles.