'Bridgerton' actress Banita Sandhu supports Deepika Padukone in the 8-hour work demand, reveals standing up against 16-18 hours shift: 'I am blacklisted now'
Banita Sandhu
who started out her career with
Varun Dhawan
starrer 'October' was recently seen 'Bridgerton 3'. Banita who has now seen how things function in Bollywood and Hollywood both, said in a recent interview that perhaps she's now banned in the Hindi film industry because she stood up against producers.
At the moment, the 8-hour work shift is a huge talking point, after it was reported that
Deepika Padukone
had demanded that she would only work for eight hours. This was cited to be one of the reasons for her conflict with Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Thus, now, many industry insiders are sharing their views on the same. Banita opened up during a chat with Screen, "It's so important. One thing that we have in the West is really strong unions. They really protect actors and crew.
I have always been a firm believer of 12-hour turnovers for everybody on sets.
We are not at war, we are making movies. I don't think anyone's mental health should be sacrificed for that. At the end of the day, it's a job and everyone deserves an adequate amount of rest and sleep. It's basic human rights."
She revealed further, "With Hindi cinema, it is getting better now. But early in my career, when I really didn't understand how industries work, I just assumed this was the way to work.
I did 16-18 hours a day shifts, where producers aligned my schedule, I would shoot the whole day and then fly at night. I didn't sleep for 24 hours straight. I stood up for myself and the crew. I told the producers that this is not okay. Maybe, I am blacklisted from that industry now, but I don't care.
I just believe in standing up for what's right."
Talking about getting recognition and more work after 'October', she pointed out, "During that time of my life, I wasn't fully living in India.
I came to shoots and I was also shooting a lot of western stuff, I was doing my college in London as well. I wasn't as present as I could have been. There's a perception that I went and came back, but for me, I never went away, I was always working, just in a different country."
She further added, "After October released, I graduated and I shot for atleast 3 projects in a year – in Hollywood and South. I got work from all different parts of the world, maybe not much from Bollywood. I would have been filthy rich if I moved to India as that time. I remember many producers telling me we wanted you after October in so and so film, but we didn't know where to find you. It works that way in Bollywood, if you're out of sight, then out of mind.
"
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