The glitz of Bollywood often hides the grind behind the scenes. This time, it's about working mothers, humane schedules, and whether the film industry is ready to evolve. The spark? A fallout between Deepika Padukone and director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, reportedly over the actress’s request for an 8-hour workday during her motherhood journey. Now, with Kajol and Ajay Devgn promoting their new film Maa, the couple has weighed in, offering a more balanced perspective on the matter.
At the trailer launch of Maa, when asked whether it's fair for a mother to ask for shorter working hours, Kajol welcomed the idea and said that she loved the fact that one can work less. But before she could complete her sentence, Ajay Devgn interrupted her. He first apologised for interrupting and then shared his thoughts about it.
Ajay offered a nuanced response, noting that the industry is slowly becoming more accommodating. He shared that the film industry is gradually becoming more understanding of such requests. He believes that many people within the industry are open to the idea of shorter workdays, especially for working mothers. According to him, an 8 to 9-hour shift is reasonable and increasingly accepted. He added that while the response may vary from person to person, the broader industry is now more supportive of such changes.
The conversation comes amid the much-discussed Spirit controversy. Deepika was initially set to star opposite Prabhas in Vanga’s film, but walked out of the project. While earlier reports pointed to remuneration issues, later updates suggested that her decision stemmed from unmet requests around work hours and other on-set considerations, especially significant in light of her recent pregnancy announcement.
What followed was a dramatic statement from Sandeep Reddy Vanga himself. In a cryptic but pointed post on X, the Kabir Singh director didn’t name Deepika, but heavily implied betrayal. He talked about “unsaid NDA” and accused the actress of “putting down a younger actor”. The post ended with a Hindi proverb: “Khundak mein billi khamba noche”—roughly translating to "A cat scratches the pole in frustration."
At the trailer launch of Maa, when asked whether it's fair for a mother to ask for shorter working hours, Kajol welcomed the idea and said that she loved the fact that one can work less. But before she could complete her sentence, Ajay Devgn interrupted her. He first apologised for interrupting and then shared his thoughts about it.
Ajay offered a nuanced response, noting that the industry is slowly becoming more accommodating. He shared that the film industry is gradually becoming more understanding of such requests. He believes that many people within the industry are open to the idea of shorter workdays, especially for working mothers. According to him, an 8 to 9-hour shift is reasonable and increasingly accepted. He added that while the response may vary from person to person, the broader industry is now more supportive of such changes.
Deepika Padukone vs Sandeep Reddy VangaAjay Devgn - "honest filmmakers would not have a problem with a new mother's demand for an 8-hour shift in the industry"
— sohom (@AwaaraHoon) May 29, 2025
Ajay and Kajol supporting Deepika Padukone in this fiasco over Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit. pic.twitter.com/dpPKLSaIyB
The conversation comes amid the much-discussed Spirit controversy. Deepika was initially set to star opposite Prabhas in Vanga’s film, but walked out of the project. While earlier reports pointed to remuneration issues, later updates suggested that her decision stemmed from unmet requests around work hours and other on-set considerations, especially significant in light of her recent pregnancy announcement.
What followed was a dramatic statement from Sandeep Reddy Vanga himself. In a cryptic but pointed post on X, the Kabir Singh director didn’t name Deepika, but heavily implied betrayal. He talked about “unsaid NDA” and accused the actress of “putting down a younger actor”. The post ended with a Hindi proverb: “Khundak mein billi khamba noche”—roughly translating to "A cat scratches the pole in frustration."
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