Deepika’s decision to walk away from two high-profile projects, Spirit and the Kalki 2898 AD sequel, over inconsistent work hours sparked discussions across the industry.
In an interview with CNBC TV18, Deepika also pointed out that many male superstars have quietly worked 8-hour days for years, Monday to Friday, no weekends, without backlash.
“By virtue of being a woman, if that’s coming 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! A lot of them only work for 8 hours from Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends,” she said.
Amid the ongoing debate, Keerthy Suresh has now weighed in on the growing conversation about long shooting schedules.
While promoting Revolver Rita in Hyderabad, the actress broke down what a real day on set looks like. Keerthy stressed that both actors and technicians require sufficient rest, saying an 8-hour workday is the healthiest approach.
She recalled working across all kinds of shifts in her career, sometimes from 9 AM to 2 AM, especially during the time she was juggling six films, including Mahanati, Agnyaathavaasi, Saamy Square, Sarkar, Sandakozhi 2 and Thaanaa Serndha Koottam.
“There was a time when I was doing one film in the morning and one at night,” Keerthy revealed, describing the unpredictable nature of shoots.
Keerthy added that to be camera-ready at 9 AM, she must wake up by 5–5:30 AM and be there by 7:30 for makeup. Packing up, travel, workouts and dinner push her bedtime to around 11:30 PM. It is said that 8 hours of sleep is ideal, but with a 9-to-6 shift, a person barely gets 6 hours of sleep.
With 9–9 shifts, actors barely get 4–5 hours of sleep. Keerthy then shifted the focus to crews and technicians, who arrive earlier and work even longer hours, getting even less sleep.
Tamil and Telugu industries mostly follow a 9–6 schedule, Keerthy said, but Malayalam and Hindi industries often run 12-hour days, sometimes without breaks. “I do a lot of ads in Kerala, and they tell me how difficult it is. After wrapping the shoot and packing up, they get just 3-4 hours of sleep,” she added.
Lightmen in Kerala often manage with just 2–3 hours of sleep. “This is the scenario. Sleep is just as important as food or exercise,” Keerthy emphasised.
Concluding the conversation, Keerthy said that she supports both long and short shifts but believes the 9–6 system exists for health reasons more than convenience.
Earlier, Rashmika Mandanna also echoed the need for healthier work timings, saying long hours might seem normal in the moment but are not sustainable in the long run.
Keerthy Suresh will be next seen in Prabhas’ Spirit.
