Thamma actress Rashmika Mandanna in her recent interview with Gulte, said she believes actors, too, deserve fixed working hours, similar to other professions. Her comment comes amid an ongoing debate over work timings in the film industry, amid reports of Deepika Padukone’s alleged demand for an 8-hour shift for Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit and her controversial exit from Kalki 2898 AD.

While Rashmika was praised by The Girlfriend producer Sreenivasa Kumar for never asking for any work-hour restrictions, the actress in her recent interview admitted being overworked, and said it’s not worth it, adding it isn’t sustainable.

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“I overwork and I am telling you it’s highly non-suggestible, don’t do it, it’s not sustainable. Do what is comfortable for you. Do what’s right for you, get those 8 hours, get those 9-10 hours also because trust me that’s going to save you in later ages. As in I have seen a lot of these conversations recently where people are like, okay work timings and all. I have done it both and I am telling you this is not worth it,” she said.

‘I tend to overwork myself’


Admitting she ends up taking on much more than a normal human being can, because she can’t say no.

“I tend to overwork myself because I take on so much more than a normal human being can and should, but I am also not someone who will tell my teams that I can’t do something for them. I know they are struggling and if they are telling we have this location only till now and we have to shoot so much in this time, that I understand,” she said.

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At the same time, Rashmika wished this could be changed and film industry could adopt a healthier work culture where actors can maintain a better work-life balance and find time for their family, rest, and fitness.

“It’s the love and respect I have for my team, but if I could choose for myself, I would say don’t make us actors do that. because there is a lot that’s going on. Not even actors, directors, lightman, music, everyone. Just like office time is 9-6, let us have that because there is still a family life that I want to focus on. There is still my sleep that I want to get. I would still want to work out because later on I am not regretting that I wish I was healthy and fit, and working out when I was younger. I am still thinking about my future, but right now I don’t have a say because I am taking on too much on myself,” the actress said.

How netizens reacted

Netizens had mixed reactions to Rashmika’s comments. Some agreed that working hours in the film industry can be really exhausting, others thought comparing actors’ schedules to regular 9-to-6 jobs was unfair as they are paid in crores while regular jobs don’t pay that much.

While many agreed that work-life balance is important, they questioned whether actors would be willing to be paid like those in regular 9-to-6 jobs.

“Work life balance everyone wants!! Will they also want to earn like 9 to 6 people?” wrote a user. “Yeah let’s have the same salary as the office people’s,” another one added.

Another one wrote that actors get paid in crores, while those doing 8-hour shift don’t and hence the comparison is unfair. “But you earn minimum 10 crores for a film. a 9 to 6 job doesn’t earn that. Stop this comparison.”

“What about her remuneration? We work for a company from 8 to 7pm not even earning 8L per annum,” another wrote.

“9-6 employees are getting max 50k-80k for 30 days. But these heroines are charging crores of money that too with limited days still not ready to support producers? Cinema is about coordination of actors and timings. Throw these kind of mentalities from industry to municipality,” another one said.