Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan has come out in support of Deepika Padukone amid the ongoing debate over fixed working hours in the film industry, saying actors should be able to discuss their work schedules with producers before a project begins.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Kareena said that work commitments need to be planned carefully, especially for actors who are raising children. She shared that during the shoot of The Buckingham Murders, she informed the producers beforehand that she would need to return to her children after work.

She added that actors with families often rely on the support of their partners and sometimes have to make sacrifices with time or even decline projects.

“I feel like if you are married and have children, and as a woman, if you do not want to give that time, you should be able to say that this is what I want. I can work this number of hours. I think it's completely fine to say that way before a film starts. You have to be honest,” Kareena said.

“Of course, a few days might go haywire because there's no way that some days something might not go wrong. You need to have that openness. Not everything can go as planned. So there should be that much flexibility, otherwise it's very difficult,” she added.

Malayalam actress Kalyani Priyadarshan, who was part of the interview, also weighed in on working hours in the industry. She said that shifts in the Malayalam film industry were once as long as 16 hours but have since been reduced to 12 hours. She said filmmaking cannot realistically be restricted to six hours as several aspects of production need to be completed within a single day.

Meanwhile, Ananya Panday defended Padukone’s position, saying the actress had not previously made such demands before becoming a mother.

“I have worked with Deepika, and before she became a mother, there was no such thing like that. She was working, coming for workshops, no complaints and no asking for anything. Now she's a mother, this is what she needs to be present with her child in the first two years of her child's growth. I think it's okay to have a conversation with your producer to find a balance. It's something that can be worked around,” Ananya said.

In May 2025, Padukone exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, which also stars Prabhas. Reports at the time suggested that her demand for an eight-hour shift did not sit well with the director. She was later replaced by Triptii Dimri.

In September the makers of Kalki 2898 AD announced that Padukone would not return for the sequel.

In November, Padukone opened up on the issue in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar India, where she argued that an eight-hour shift is sufficient for the human mind and body. She also called for greater workplace support for new mothers and said bringing children on film sets should be normalised.