Siddharth P. Malhotra has spoken out after reports that Deepika Padukone has reportedly withdrawn from Spirit, Sandeep Reddy Vanga's upcoming Telugu picture. The actor allegedly requested a work week of eight hours, which led to her departure from the Prabhas-starring movie after giving birth to her daughter Dua Padukone Singh around nine months prior.

Prior cases of limited working hours are cited by Siddharth P. Malhotra

Malhotra, who directed We Are Family (2010), which was his debut as a director, claims that this isn't the first occasion a well-known performer has placed similar restrictions on their working hours. "We finished the entire movie Hichki in 28 eight-hour shifts," he told IANS. "Whether it was Rani (Mukerji), the kids, the cameramen, or the spot boy, everyone finished in that time."

Yash Raj Films produced Hichki, which marked Rani Mukerji's comeback to the big screen after giving birth. The actor admitted that his first day back on set following the birth of his daughter Adira Chopra was highly emotional. "I have been there in front of her face for 14 months," she said in a 2016 interview. "So I kept asking myself, 'Is it going to be worth it?'"

Kajol's eight-hour shifts established a standard

Malhotra recalled his time working alongside Kajol on We Are Family, noting that the eight-hour shift attitude existed long before Deepika rose to prominence. "Kajol used to work eight-hour shifts when I filmed with her in 2010," he said. She made it clear that she would either work for an eight-hour night shift or arrive between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. The same thing occurred to Rani as well. Deepika isn't asking for anything different.

In her reaffirmed stance on work-life balance, Kajol stated to PTI, "I didn't work for 20 or 30 hours." She stated that her mother, the renowned actress Tanuja, was very encouraging of her choice to establish a rigid schedule for her workweek.

Compatibility and boundary respect with Siddharth P. Malhotra

According to Malhotra, if the project's needs are incompatible, it is reasonable for the director and the performer to walk away. The filmmaker would work with any actor, even if it was only for six hours a day, if he knew he could finish the picture in that amount of time, and this would be true for all actors. He asked, "People are just getting publicity in the name of Deepika Padukone. She's asking for family time; what wrong is she demanding?"

If a director like Vanga required more time, he concluded by saying that he may seek more filming days or change the cast. Malhotra said, "Don't work with her if it doesn't suit the director. If you need more time from your actor, ask for more days. If not, find someone else."

Deepika Padukone is replaced by Triptii Dimri in Spirit

The film, which will be released in theaters in 2026, is being produced by Spirit stars Prabhas, who plays the protagonist opposite Animal actor Triptii Dimri, who has taken over Deepika's role, alongside Bhushan Kumar's T-Series.