Actor Deepika Padukone has finally broken her silence on her highly publicized exit from two major projects – Spirit and the Kalki 2898 AD sequel – after weeks of speculation. Her decision to leave both films had sparked intense debate, with several reports claiming that the actor had requested fixed eight-hour work shifts, leading to disagreements with the production teams.
In a recent interview with CNBC TV18, Deepika addressed the issue directly, saying her request for reasonable work hours was being judged differently because she is a woman. “By virtue of being a woman, if that comes across as pushy or whatever, then so be it. But it is no secret that a lot of superstars, male superstars, in the Indian Film Industry, have been working for 8 hours for years, and it’s never made headlines!” she said.
She further added, “I don’t want to take names now and make this into a whole thing, but it is very commonly, publicly known that a lot of male actors have been working for 8 hours a day for years. A lot of them only work for 8 hours Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends.”
The production house behind Kalki 2898 AD, Vyjayanthi Movies, confirmed her departure in an official statement, writing, “This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD. After careful consideration, we have decided to part ways.”
The post further read, “Despite the long journey of making the first film, we were unable to find a partnership. And a film like @Kalki2898AD deserves that commitment and much more. We wish her the best with her future works.” Reports suggested that, apart from the eight-hour shift condition, creative and contractual differences also contributed to her decision to step away.
Following her exit from Spirit, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts, writing, “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….(sic).”
In another post, he added, “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 and for me, filmmaking is everything. You didn’t get it. You won’t get it. You will never get it. Aisa karo…. Agli baar poori kahani bolna… kyunki mujhe jarra bhi farak nahi padtha (Do this… next time tell me the whole story… because it doesn’t matter to me at all) #dirtyPRgames I like this kahawath very much 🙂 !”
After Deepika’s departure, actor Triptii Dimri was officially named as her replacement in Spirit, which stars Prabhas in the lead role – the same as Kalki 2898 AD. Meanwhile, several filmmakers, including Shoojit Sircar and Anurag Basu, have come out in support of Deepika’s demand for humane working conditions, calling it a step toward a more balanced work culture in Bollywood.
Deepika’s stand has reignited a wider debate on gender bias and work-life balance in the Indian film industry, highlighting how female actors are often judged more harshly for setting professional boundaries that male stars have long enjoyed.
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