Rani Mukerji opens up on motherhood as Deepika-Vanga work hour debate rages on

Bollywood veteran Rani Mukerji is speaking up on a topic that has recently stirred the industry: work hours and motherhood in cinema. The discussion comes in the wake of reports that Deepika Padukone walked out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film ‘Spirit’ starring Prabhas because of a demand for an eight-hour workday.

Opinions across the industry have been varied in this issue. And, Rani’s perspective draws from her own experience of juggling motherhood and a demanding film schedule.

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“When I did ‘Hichki’, Adira was 14 months old, and I was still breastfeeding her. I had to pump milk in the morning before leaving home and start my shoot early in the day. The shoot location was in a college. And, the commute from my house in Juhu usually takes about two hours,” Rani said.

She described her meticulously planned schedule: leaving home at 6:30 am after expressing milk, beginning the first shot by 8 am, and finishing all scenes by 12:30 to 1 pm.

“The team and director were so organized that I could wrap up my work in about six to seven hours. By the time traffic built up, I was home with my daughter by 3 pm. That’s how I managed my film work around motherhood,” she shared.

Rani emphasized that flexible work hours in cinema have always been possible with mutual understanding between actors and producers.

“These conversations might seem new because people are discussing them outside, but flexibility has been a norm in many professions. If a producer agrees, you can work certain hours. If not, you don’t. It’s a choice. No one is forcing anything,” she said.

Also Read: Neha Dhupia backs Deepika Padukone’s demand for fair working hours

Beyond logistics, Rani spoke candidly about the physical and emotional demands of motherhood and the unique challenges women face in the film industry. “Men don’t have to go through a physical transformation or the emotional changes we experience as mothers. And I am very happy being a woman. I wouldn’t change this for anything,” she said.

She reflected on the miraculous experience of giving birth: “Mothers, in those nine months, become closest to God because we are creating life inside us. It’s an amazing journey men will never fully understand. Imagine if men had to carry children. They might never have time for wars, because they’d be busy preparing for their baby!” she added with a laugh.

Rani also touched on the fact that she had taken breaks from acting to focus on raising her daughter. This is a reality that women in the industry often face while men are rarely expected to pause their careers.

“Women actors constantly juggle work-life balance. It’s something that comes with being a mother and a professional,” she said.