Shefali Shah On 8-Hour Shift Debate In Bollywood: ‘Male Actors Come Late...’

Shefali Shah has expressed her views on the ongoing eight-hour shift demand in Bollywood. In a recent interview, the actress, who is gearing up for the release of Delhi Crimes 3, shared that the discussion regarding long shift hours in Bollywood was much needed. “We are reasonable people. So, we realise [the need to accommodate] if a location is not available tomorrow or something has to be done now. But it can’t be the norm,” she told Mid-Day. “I take one-and-a-half hours to reach the set and the same time to return. For those hours on set, I give it my all. I go back home, and hopefully, I can go to the gym because that’s part of my job. Then I will shower, eat, go back to the script, and then wake up the next morning for another day of work. How many hours of sleep am I getting? And how are you expecting me to come with my A-game?” Shah added. Shefali mentioned that with the long work hours, it is not just the actor who suffers but also the crew. “On one of the last films I shot for, which had a 10-hour schedule, some of the ADs said, ‘Thank God, she leaves because that way we get to go.’ The rest of the crew doesn’t get paid extra [for the overtime]. Is it fair to them?” she shared. Shefali further took a dig at the male actors who arrive late for the shoot and added, “We [female actors] are talking about eight hours and 10 hours contractually, but have we even accounted for the number of hours some male actors come late? That’s not even considered!” For the unversed, the work-life balance in Bollywood started after Sandeep Reddy Vanga removed Deepika Padukone from Prabhas starrer Spirit earlier this year. Reports suggest that her demands, including eight-hour workdays, a high salary, and a share in the film’s profits, did not sit well with director Vanga. Deepika, a new mother, is reportedly seeking to balance her work and personal life by reducing her working hours. Several celebrities, including Vikrant Massey, Rashmika Mandanna, Yami Gautam and Anurag Basu, have come out in support of Deepika amid the ongoing discussion. “Today, the whole country is debating about flexible hours, but that is for discussion amongst the teams and figuring out what works for them. It’s their personal choices,” Rashmika said recently during an interview with Mojo Story.