Vikrant Massey has shared his thoughts on Deepika Padukone’s call for an eight-hour work shift in the Bollywood industry, expressing his support for the idea. He revealed that he, too, hopes to adopt a similar work routine in the future, even if it means lowering his fees. The discussion around limiting work hours in the film industry has intensified following reports of Deepika Padukone stepping away from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Spirit’.
In a recent conversation with Firstpost, Vikrant, who starred alongside Deepika in Chhapaak, voiced his agreement with her stance, adding that he aims to implement this change in his career in the coming years.
Vikrant Massey Talks About the Need for 8-Hour Shifts in industry
Vikrant expressed his views on the possibility of implementing an eight-hour work shift in Bollywood and said: “I aspire to do something like that very soon. Maybe in a couple of years… I want to go out and say, we can collaborate, but I would only work for eight hours. But at the same time, it should be a choice. And if my producer cannot accommodate that, because there are also a lot of other things involved when you are making a film…”
He further mentioned his willingness to lower his fees to help facilitate this transition, saying: “Money plays a very important role, and I will have to reduce my fees as I will be working for eight hours instead of twelve. If I cannot give my producer twelve hours a day, I cannot go out there and not reduce my fee. I ought to reduce my fee. It’s a give-and-take, right? And as a young mother, I think Deepika deserves it.”
Deepika Padukone was initially cast as the female lead opposite Prabhas in Spirit. However, reports suggest that she exited the project after some of her demands were allegedly turned down by the makers. These included an eight-hour workday, a share in the film’s profits, and the flexibility to not deliver her dialogues in Telugu. Following her departure, Triptii Dimri was brought on board to replace her.
Upcoming Projects of Vikrant Massey and Deepika Padukone
Vikrant will be seen in Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, the Bollywood debut of Shanaya Kapoor. Directed by Santosh Singh and produced by Mansi Bagla and Varun Bagla under Zee Studios and Mini Films, the film is an adaptation of Ruskin Bond’s short story The Eyes Have It. It is set to hit theatres on 11 July. Meanwhile, Deepika will next appear in Atlee’s upcoming film, tentatively titled AA22×A6, featuring Allu Arjun in the lead role.