After Kareena Kapoor and Ananya Panday, Supriya Pathak has now come out in support of Deepika Padukone and set the record straight on the debate around the 8-hour work shift. The veteran actress shared her thoughts and said it's the actors who are facing the audience, and they time to prepare.

Supriya Pathak backs Deepika Padukone's 8-hour work shift demand

Speaking to Bollywood Bubble, Supriya Pathak said, "As an actor, I am the one facing the audience. And when you face an audience, you need to be prepared. If you don’t give me the time to prepare myself, how will I face them? So I think it’s very important that actors, whether male or female, are given the time to prepare."

Comparing how females have to be multitaskers, while men can focus on one, Supriya added that female and male challenges are different and due to this balance is needed. "I feel our brains are thinking about twenty things at the same time, while a man’s brain often focuses on one thing. Their challenges are different, ours are different, which is why we need balance," she said.

"I believe women are empowered within themselves. Sometimes we just don’t ignite that power. But if we get even a small spark, we can become a very powerful firecracker," she concluded.

For the unversed, Deepika Padukone stepped down from two big-budget films - Spirit and Kalki 2898 AD sequel - after the makers rejected her 8-hour shift demand. Her demands came after she embraced motherhood and welcomed her daughter Dua Padukone Singh with husband Ranveer Singh on September 8, 2024, after 6 years of their marriage.

After quietly stepping away from both projects, she announced two new projects where her demands were accepted - King and Allu Arjun's next film.