Banita Sandhu Backs Work-Life Balance Debate Amid Deepika Padukone's Exit from Spirit
Banita Sandhu speaks out on work ethics in the film industry, supporting Deepika Padukone’s stance. She highlights mental health, industry blacklisting, and praises Hollywood’s unionized structure for fair practices.
New Delhi: The entertainment world is abuzz after Deepika Padukone departed from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit. The actress reportedly walked away due to an ongoing clash over an 8-hour workday demand. As the industry debates intensity, actress Banita Sandhu has now shared her candid take, echoing the sentiment for humane working conditions.
In a recent interview with SCREEN, Banita, known for her nuanced roles, recounted facing similar dilemmas earlier in her career. Drawing a sharp contrast, she spotlighted the robust support system in Hollywood.
“It is so important. One thing that we have in the West is really strong unions. They protect actors and crew. I have always been a firm believer in 12-hour turnovers for everybody on sets. We are not at war, we are making movies,” she remarked with conviction.
Banita emphasized the toll relentless hours take on emotional well-being, advocating for proper rest and ethical treatment on sets. “I do not think anyone's mental health should be sacrificed for that. At the end of the day, it is a job, and everyone deserves an adequate amount of rest and sleep. It is a basic human right,” she added.
Speaking from experience, the October Star revealed that early in her career, she was subjected to marathon shifts stretching up to 18 hours. She admitted to initially accepting such extremes, thinking they were normative.
“With Hindi cinema, it is getting better now. But early in my career, when I really did not understand how industries work, I just assumed this was the way to work. I did 16-18 hours a day shifts, where producers aligned my schedule, I would shoot the whole day and then fly at night,” Banita said, exposing the harsh underbelly of cinematic glamour.
In a bold disclosure, she claimed that standing up against exploitative may have led to her being blacklisted, though she remains undeterred.
“I did not sleep for 24 hours straight. I stood up for myself and the crew. I told the producers that this is not okay. Maybe, I am blacklisted from that industry now, but I don't care. I just believe in standing up for what's right.”
As discourse on ethical filmmaking grows, Banita’s words add gravitas and solidarity to the conversation.
On the professional front, Banita Sandhu is set to appear in Detective Sherdil, a gripping murder mystery. Directed by Ravi Chhabria, the ensemble cast includes Diljit Dosanjh, Boman Irani, Diana Penty, and Sumeet Vyas. The film premieres on Zee5 on June 20, 2025.
