'Deepika Padukone gets more than a lot of male actors': Director Kabir Khan backs her amid Sandeep Vanga's Spirit controversy

Pink Villa

21 hours ago

Deepika Padukone created quite a stir after her fallout with Sandeep Reddy Vanga over her demand for an 8-hour shift. The industry has since then been divided, and many have come out in support of the actress. The recent one being Kabir Khan, who has voiced his support for the Piku star and her demands. He also revealed that even actors like Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar work on an 8-hour shift.
What did Kabir Khan say about Deepika Padukone's 8-hour shift demand?
Talking to Movified, Kabir Khan emphasized the importance of work-life balance in their field. He revealed working with 500 members who have their own families and their own lives. He stated that their well-being matters for two reasons: mental health and efficiency. Backing Deepika Padukone's demand for an 8-hour shift, he called it a 'fair point'.
'Aamir Khan works on an 8-hour shift. Akshay Kumar too. So I don't see why Deepika should be denied the same,' said the Chandu Champion director. He also dismissed the notion that filmmaking comes with a cost to personal life.
According to the filmmaker, the work should have a structure. He revealed that he had never shot beyond 12 hours, never worked overtime, and never worked on the 7th day of the week. 'These are basic rules.'
Furthermore, Khan also stated that everyone has the right to set their own terms, which suit them. He concluded by saying, 'If a filmmaker doesn't agree, they should have a valid reason. It's that simple.'
What did Kabir Khan say about Deepika Padukone's pay demand?
Deepika Padukone had reportedly also demanded Rs 25 crore for Spirit, which again did not land well with Vanga. When asked about the reason behind male actors being paid more. Kabir called it a misunderstood argument. He stated that the Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani actress gets paid more than a lot of male actors.
'Whoever brings in the viewers, whether it's an actor, director, man or woman… they deserve to be paid what they're worth. Deepika consistently pulls crowds, so she rightly commands the fee she does,' he stated.
On the work front, it was recently announced that Deepika Padukone has come on board Atlee and Allu Arjun's next AA22 X A6. From the looks of the announcement video, it seems she will play a warrior princess in the same.