Ananya Panday DEFENDS Deepika Padukone in 8-hour shift debate: ‘Now she’s a mother and this is what she needs’ |

Ananya Panday has come out in support of her former co-star Deepika Padukone, following a full-blown debate surrounding her alleged preference for 8-hour shifts, since becoming a mother. Speaking during her recent interaction, Ananya was joined on the hot seat by Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kalyani Priyadarshan. During the chat, Panday defended her ‘Gehraiyaan’ co-star, insisting that she just voiced her needs as a new mother and that the discussion was ‘private matter’. Ananya Panday defends Deepika PadukoneLooking back on her time shared with Deepika on the film sets, Ananya told the Hollywood Reporter India, “I’ve worked with her before she became a mother, there was no such thing like that. She was working, coming for workshops, no complaints, no asking for anything, and that sort of way.”However, Panday added that the actress’ priorities may have change since she embraced motherhood and welcomed daughter Dua with husband, Ranveer Singh in 2024. “Now she’s a mother and this is what she needs,” she said and added, “To kind of be present with her child at a time during the first two years is a challenge.”Ananya Panday praises Kareena Kapoor KhanThe actress also pointed out that conversations about work-life balance are not new in Bollywood. Turning to Kareena, she credited her for her efforts in helping shift the narrative for working women and working mothers in the Bollywood film industry. “Kareena did that, she changed the game for all of the girls coming after her,” Panday noted.Ananya Panday encourages dialogue between filmmakers and actorsEmphasising the need for dialogue between actors and filmmakers, she said, “So, I think it’s okay to have a conversation with your producer, to find a balance between it’s a private conversation you must have, and it’s something that can be worked around.”“There’s no hard and fast rule like ‘nai karenga, nai karna hai’. I think everyone is allowed to have that conversation,” she concluded.Deepika hit the headlines last year, when she reportedly exited a big-ticket film, over filmmakers refusing to meet her 8-hour shift demands and a higher remuneration. The actress has since gone on to share how motherhood has changed her priorities from a career-driven life to focusing on her child’s well-being.