(Image source from: Instagram.com/deepikapadukone)

Bollywood star Deepika Padukone has been in the spotlight lately, largely due to her departure from two highly anticipated films. The first was Spirit directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, where Triptii Dimri took over Deepika's role. The second project is the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD, which features Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan. Many believe that Deepika left both films because, as a new mother, she requested to work for only 8 hours a day. This situation sparked various comments from celebrities and fans online. Recently, Deepika spoke out about it. In an interview, she mentioned the backlash she is facing, saying, “If being perceived as demanding is a result of being a woman, then that’s how it is. It's well-known that many male stars in Bollywood have been working 8-hour days for a long time, and it rarely gets reported.” She continued, “I don’t want to name anyone to avoid drama, but it’s widely known that many male actors work those hours. Some of them only work from Monday to Friday and don’t do weekend shoots.”

Deepika pointed out that the Bollywood industry is quite chaotic and said it's necessary to introduce some order into how things are done. Discussing her preferred working conditions, she explained, “I have addressed this issue in various ways before; this isn’t new for me. I have had to handle things related to pay and other challenges. I can’t quite put a label on it, but I have always chosen to tackle my issues quietly. For some odd reason, though, they become public, which isn’t how I prefer things to be, as that’s not how I was raised. But yes, dealing with my problems quietly and respectfully is my approach.” Although Deepika has missed out on two movies, she still has two exciting projects ahead. She will work with Shah Rukh Khan and Suhana Khan in King, and she is also set to appear in the upcoming film by Atlee and Allu Arjun.