In a recent interview, Deepika Padukone said the film industry has normalised exhaustion, confusing overwork with commitment. Read further to know what all the actress said.
Deepika Padukone is reframing a conversation long overdue in Indian workplaces. While her support for an eight-hour workday made headlines, it’s her push for a more humane, family-friendly work culture, especially the idea of allowing new mothers to bring their children to work, that stands out as the heart of her message.
In a recent Harper’s Bazaar India interview, the actor said the film industry has normalised exhaustion, confusing overwork with commitment. ‘Eight hours is enough for the human body and mind,’ she said, adding that staying healthy is the only way to perform meaningfully in any profession. But for her, the issue is not just about hours, it’s about compassion and practicality for working mothers.
‘Reality hits differently’: Deepika on navigating motherhood
Speaking candidly, Deepika acknowledged that motherhood reshaped her understanding of balance. ‘People say, you’ll understand when you’re a mother and it’s true,’ she said.
Among her key recommendations is normalising the presence of children at the workplace, something she believes would shift the culture toward empathy rather than expectation. ‘We’ve normalised overworking. We mistake burnout for commitment. Eight hours of work a day is enough for the human body and mind. Only when you’re healthy can you give your best. Bringing a burnt-out person back into the system helps no one. In my own office, we work eight hours a day, Monday to Friday. We have maternity and paternity policies. We should normalise bringing children to work,’ the actress said.
Leading by example inside her own organisation
Deepika shared that her own office functions on a Monday-to-Friday, eight-hour-shift structure, with detailed maternity and paternity policies in place. ‘If we want women to thrive at work after motherhood, we need systems that support them,’ she said. Allowing mothers to bring their children to work, she argues, could significantly reduce the stress and guilt that come with balancing childcare and career.
Her stance has found support from her peers, including actor Neha Dhupia, who said new mothers need practical solutions, not pressure.
