Ajay Devgn backs eight-hour shifts for mothers amid reports of Deepika Padukone’s exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Spirit’

Bollywood actors Kajol and Ajay Devgn attend the trailer launch of the upcoming Hindi-language mythological horror film ‘Maa’, in Mumbai, Thursday, May 29, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Actor Ajay Devgn backed the 8-hour shifts for mothers amid reports of Deepika Padukone’s exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film Spirit. The film has been in the news lately after reports claimed that Deepika decided to walk away from the project due to certain working demands, including a request for an ‘eight-hour workday.’

While this sparked debate online, actor Ajay Devgn seems to have spoken in support of Deepika at the trailer launch of Maa, an upcoming horror film that stars Kajol in the lead. When asked about his views on the demands for an 8-hour shift, Devgn, without taking names, said, “It’s not that it’s not going down well with people. Most of the honest filmmakers will not have problems with it. Apart from this, being a mother and working for eight hours, most people have started working eight-to nine-hour shifts.”

“It’s person to person, and I feel most of the industry understands this,” he added. Earlier, Deepika was expected to star opposite Prabhas in Spirit, a film backed by T-Series and Bhadrakali Pictures. The film is helmed by Animal director Sandeep Reddy Vanga.

The makers confirmed that actress Triptii Dimri, who was also seen in Animal, has joined the cast of Spirit. Just a couple of days back, Vanga took to his X and dropped a fiery post. Though he did not name anyone directly, many believe Vanga was referring to Deepika Padukone, who reportedly stepped away from the project recently.

ALSO READ:‘Spirit’: Triptii Dimri replaces Deepika Padukone in Prabhas’ film with Sandeep Reddy Vanga

In a post shared on his official X, Vanga voiced frustration over a broken “unsaid NDA” and alleged betrayal of trust, and wrote, “When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100 per cent faith. There is an unsaid NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, you’ve ‘DISCLOSED’ the person that you are.”