Amid the controversy over Deepika Padukone’s demand for 8-hour work shifts, actor Ishaan Khatter has opened up about what he thinks. Speaking to NDTV, Ishaan said, ‘It is a great honor for me to say that I am ready to work so many hours.’ He said he has been on sets where sometimes “there has been abuse of time protocols.”
Ishaan Khattar spoke openly on the demand for 8 hour shift
Ishaan Khatter shared that a person needs to be “considerate towards the working environment”. He said, “Being considerate means understanding that as an actor it’s a very privileged position – to be able to say I’m OK with working so many hours. But there are people on the crew who come in an hour before you, and they have to pack up and leave later. It takes them longer to get back home, so you have to be considerate of the work environment, and I think make decisions accordingly. That’s one thing.”
He also said that there are people who want to get the job done, no matter how many hours it takes to complete it. “But what we do is a profession of passion, and often you see people want to finish the day’s work consensually and not go home without fully fulfilling their desire and imagination, and bringing it to life the way they want. It happens. But yes, I think what’s important is to be considerate of everyone’s time and effort.”
All about the demand for 8-hour shifts in the film industry
Ever since Deepika made headlines for walking out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film Spirit due to her alleged demand for an eight-hour workday, discussions have been going on in the film industry, with many people coming forward to express their views. A few months ago, a controversy had arisen after Deepika demanded an 8-hour shift. Following this, she had to exit two films – Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit and Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2.
The actress did not want to work more than eight hours a day during the shoot so that she could be with her daughter Dua. However, his demands were not met and he left the film. Recently, Vyjayanthi Movies announced that she is no longer a part of Kalki’s 2898 AD sequel. In his statement, he said that he decided to part ways with Deepika after “careful consideration”, adding that a film like Kalki deserves a higher level of “commitment”.
About Ishaan’s recent film
Ishaan is enjoying the success of his latest film Homebound directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. The film is India’s official entry for the Oscars 2026. Homebound revolves around the story of two childhood friends, Shoaib (played by Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (played by Vishal Jethwa), who dream of becoming police officers to escape the discrimination that shapes their lives. As their hopes collide with harsh realities, the film paints a touching portrait of friendship, identity and resilience in rural India.
