Neha Dhupia on Deepika’s stand: Deepika Padukone’s recent decision to walk away from director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film ‘Spirit’ has triggered an important conversation in the entertainment industry.

Reports suggest the actress chose to exit the project after requesting an eight-hour workday — a demand that, while common in many professions, is still far from standard in Bollywood’s demanding schedules.

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Now, actress Neha Dhupia has stepped forward to publicly support Deepika Padukone’s stand, bringing attention to the challenges working mothers face in the film industry.

Neha took to Instagram Stories on Monday to share her thoughts. She pointed out that work-life balance is often makes it to discussion but rarely translates into meaningful action. This is especially for women juggling careers and motherhood.

“For work-life balance to go beyond conversations, new moms need practical support and consideration. Instead, we often get shamed or sidelined,” Neha wrote.

Drawing from her own experience as a working mother, Neha said she completely backs Deepika’s call for reasonable working hours.

“As a working mom, I support @deepikapadukone’s reasonable request for fair and considerate working hours,” she added.

Deepika’s decision has quietly sparked a wider industry debate about outdated work patterns, particularly for women and mothers. Several celebrities have also weighed in on the matter in recent weeks.

Also Read: Renuka Shahane tells you why society needs to stop policing new mothers’ bodies

Actor Ajay Devgn, at the trailer launch of Kajol’s film ‘Maa’ in May, expressed his support for the concept of eight-hour shifts. While he didn’t mention Deepika directly, his comments aligned with her reported demands.

“Most honest filmmakers will not have problems with it,” Devgn said. “Being a mother and working eight hours — most people in the industry have started moving towards that. It really depends on the individual, but I feel the industry is slowly understanding this.”

Deepika was initially going to star alongside Prabhas in ‘Spirit’, a highly anticipated film backed by T-Series and Bhadrakali Pictures. Her exit has now paved the way for actress Triptii Dimri, known for her performance in ‘Animal’, to join the project as the female lead.

The conversation ignited by Deepika’s exit and supported by Neha Dhupia and Ajay Devgn is a much-needed step toward modernizing the work culture in the film industry.

While tight shooting schedules and unpredictable hours have long been considered part of the job, more and more artists are beginning to question whether this should remain the norm — especially for women balancing family responsibilities.