National Award-winning actor Rani Mukerji shared how she managed her schedule during the filming of Hichki when her daughter Adira was just 14 months old.

“I had to pump the milk and go in the morning. My first shot used to be at 8 in the morning, and I wrapped up by 12.30–1 pm. I was home by 3 pm before traffic hit the roads. My unit and director were very well-planned, and we finished everything in 6–7 hours,” she told ANI.

On the 8-hour shift debate

Mukerji linked her personal experience to the current conversation around working hours in Bollywood, which began after reports that Deepika Padukone sought shorter shifts post-motherhood.

“These things are being discussed now because people are talking about it outside. But this has been a norm across professions. I have also worked for limited hours. If producers agree, you do the film. If not, you don’t. Nobody forces anything on anybody,” she said.

The Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway actor stressed that planning was the real key to efficiency.

“What is important is the kind of work you are finishing in those 6–7 hours. Sometimes you can work 18 hours and not finish. Certain films require extra hours, but once you are planned, you can achieve whatever you want,” she explained.

Industry post-pandemic: Rising costs, tighter planning

Mukerji also pointed out that the film industry has become more organised since the pandemic due to rising production costs.

“Directors are very well-planned because the cost of films has gone up really high. Being on a film set is a privilege today, and you have to make every second count,” she said.

On entourages and changing culture

Asked about reports of actors working with large entourages, Mukerji said she prefers to keep her team small.

“I also keep hearing about actors having separate vans for gyms, makeup and reels. Even I’ve heard these things but never seen them. I still work the same way I did 20 years back, with just 2–3 people around me,” she told ANI.

The Deepika Padukone controversy

The eight-hour shift row gained traction after reports suggested Deepika Padukone had a disagreement with director Sandeep Reddy Vanga during Spirit over her request for an 8-hour workday. As a new mother, she reportedly sought shorter schedules to balance personal and professional commitments.

According to reports, this dispute contributed to her exit from Spirit. Around the same time, she also stepped away from Kalki 2898 AD, with media suggesting the project’s higher level of commitment as a reason. The back-to-back developments fuelled debate in Bollywood on work-life balance, planning, and whether fairer working hours should become standard practice.