Kangana Ranaut has strongly supported Deepika Padukone following the latter’s high-profile exits from major projects like Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Spirit’ and the ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel. Addressing the viral controversy surrounding Deepika’s demand for an eight-hour workday, Kangana underlined that a superstar of Padukone’s stature who is also a new mother has “earned the right” to dictate her terms.
Kangana Ranaut backs Deepika Padukone
During an interview with ANI, Kangana opened up about how work-life balance changes over time and with experience. She reminisced about the days when she and Deepika endured exhausting, marathon shifts, propelled by raw ambition and hunger for success. Addressing the work hours controversy, Kangana stated, “I don’t think there should be an issue created out of this because if you see where she (Deepika Padukone) is coming from, she has earned that place. She has a daughter, she’s a mother now, and the topmost actress. If today she is keen to work for eight hours, she has earned it.”
Ranaut continued, “Deepika and I, when we were together, she said that they were working on Imtiaz’s film or something. She said, ‘We have a 12-hour shift.’ In response, I said that I work for only 10 hours. She’s like, you know, that’s amazing. So there was a time when we wouldn’t settle for anything less than 12-14 hours because we were ferocious. We wanted it. We were at it. We were going for it. We wanted to be successful and wanted all these things.“The ‘Queen’ actress also opened up about newcomers’ challenges in the film world, where rivals too often replace them. She slammed societal expectations pushing women to manage punishing work schedules while handling family obligations. “Let me just conclude it with this. You know, when you’re new, you’re coming up, and you are replaceable. Your place is different. She (Deepika), being where she is, she’s a mother. She’s got a family to look after. She’s also earned that place where people are going to say that, wait a minute, I want her. And it’s okay if she comes for eight hours because we’ll work around her time. So why not? And I think all the talk about fertility rate, all the talk about marriages collapsing, and all of it, what are we doing? We are putting so much pressure on our women. We are making them work double the amount now with the children,” said Kangana Ranaut.
Deepika Padukone’s ‘Spirit’ exit
The ‘Chennai Express’ star’s bold exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Spirit’ last year, over demands like an eight-hour workday, sparked industry-wide debate. Multiple celebrities soon voiced support, directly or indirectly, for mandated fixed hours following Deepika Padukone’s stand on set conditions.
Deepika Padukone’s exit from ‘Kalki’
Makers of Prabhas’ ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ also removed the actress, stating they parted ways with Deepika after “careful consideration” because a film like ‘Kalki’ requires a higher level of “commitment.”
Deepika Padukone’s next film
Deepika Padukone’s next project is ‘Raaka’, starring Allu Arjun in the lead. As for Kangana Ranaut, she was last seen in ‘Emergency’, portraying Indira Gandhi.
