Deepika Padukone’s call for an 8-hour work shift has once again pushed the spotlight on long and exhausting work hours in the entertainment industry. As opinions remain divided, veteran actor Kanwarjit Paintal has spoken candidly about how the culture of extended shifts has taken a toll on actors, especially those without star power.
‘We worked for 8 hours back then’
Recalling a time when work schedules were more balanced, Paintal said that shorter shifts were once the norm. Speaking to Vickey Lalwani, he shared, “Filmmaking is a creative job and creative work has its own requirements. Creative mind is not physically tiring, its mentally and emotionally tiring. In our old time, we used to have 8-hour shifts. However, if it is important to extend – an actor isn’t available the next day, a set is being removed, or any other reason, we would do an extension sometimes.“
‘Today, 12 hours is treated as normal’
The actor expressed concern over how extended schedules slowly became acceptable across the industry. “But now, I don’t know who is responsible, but they have made it a 12-hour shift in the industry. A 12-hour shift can become physically tiring, especially for women, kids, and the elderly. It can be managed by youngsters, but they also get tired these days.”Paintal added that television actors are pushed even further. “If I tell you the latest thing, in the television industry, the 12-hour shift has also become 14 now, that too, on paper. They lock the money on the basis of shifts, which means per shift is of 14 hours. Can you imagine?”
‘How do you give a quality performance?’
Paintal said such long hours leave little room for rest or creative freshness. “An actor who is playing a character has to be physically present, remain fresh, do emotional scenes, enjoy, and show up the next day again for 14 hours.”Sharing his own routine from a recent television shoot, he said, “I used to shoot in Naigaon, did a recent shoot for 2-3 months. I used to leave at 7am and reach by 8:30, get my makeup done and used to packed up at 10pm. After driving home, I used to reach at 11:30 and sleep by 1am, and then the same schedule again the very next day.”
‘Stars can say no, others pay the price’
Backing Deepika Padukone’s stand, Paintal said actors often agree to unfair conditions out of fear of losing work. “After doing all this, how can you expect quality performance? Actors agree to this exploitation because work is already being offered less.”He concluded by pointing out the imbalance of power in the industry. “This 12-hour thing has been going on since years, even in films. Akshay Kumar can say that I won’t do for 12 hours, others can’t. Stars can afford that, but if Paintal says that, they will ask me to sit at home.” Paintal was last seen as Anupamaa’s (Rupali Ganguly) dance guru, Pandit Manohar Sharma, in Anupamaa.
