Hansal Mehta Backs Deepika: ‘Exhaustion Normalised’ in Film Industry

In a powerful critique of the entertainment industry’s grueling work culture, acclaimed filmmaker Hansal Mehta has thrown his support behind the ongoing conversation sparked by actress Deepika Padukone regarding the need for humane work hours. Mehta took to social media to call out the “relentless draining” of people, highlighting how chronic exhaustion has not only become common but has been disturbingly “normalised” across the film, television, and OTT sectors.

The director’s comments come in the wake of widespread debate, partially fuelled by reports surrounding Deepika Padukone’s recent insistence on an eight-hour workday, a request that has brought the industry’s long-standing, often unregulated, shift timings into sharp focus. Padukone had previously pointed out the double standard, noting that many male superstars have adhered to fixed, shorter working hours for years without public scrutiny.

Mehta, known for his socially resonant work, detailed the harsh reality behind the polite terminology used on sets. “In our line of work, a 12-hour day is politely called a ‘shift.’ The truth is, between the chaos of shoots, the endless commute, hurried meals, and barely a few hours of broken sleep, there’s little left of us,” he wrote. He passionately questioned where mental health and physical well-being fit into an equation where “weekends are rarely weekends” and “breaks are looked down upon.”

His most scathing observation was that “somewhere along the way, exhaustion became normalised and rest became a privilege.” This normalization, he argues, is a fundamental flaw, leading him to ask: “Can this really be called an industry if it runs on the relentless draining of its people?”

Mehta was careful to shift the focus from A-list talent to the most vulnerable members of the workforce. He stressed that the daily wage workers are the “hardest hit” as they are always the first to arrive and the last to leave, surviving in conditions that would be deemed “inhuman anywhere else.” He lamented that this pattern, historically worse in television production, has now crept into films and streaming projects.

The filmmaker also critiqued the failure of international production houses to improve standards. While the arrival of global corporations is often celebrated in the hope of better systems, Mehta noted that they frequently “simply adapt to the broken ones we already have. Because it’s profitable.”

In his closing thoughts, Mehta urged the industry to re-evaluate its priorities, arguing that caring for the well-being of all, especially those at the foundation of the industry’s “pyramid,” would lead to better work and a better life. He concluded with a vital call for change: “First, we need to stop scoffing at the simple idea of rest. Because without that, what are we really building?”

The filmmaker’s voice adds significant weight to the growing demand for formal structures, reasonable work hours, and a fundamental shift in culture, turning the spotlight onto a crucial conversation about human cost that is long overdue in the Indian entertainment world.