03 September,2026 01:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Preity Zinta (Picture via Yogen Shah)
Preity Zinta has opened up about the ongoing debate around working hours in Bollywood, revealing that she worked for up to 18 hours a day while shooting for Kunal Kemmu's upcoming film Vibe. However, the actor clarified that her decision to put in extended hours was driven by her own circumstances and desire to complete the project quickly.
Speaking at the trailer launch of Vibe in Mumbai, Preity said that everyone has different reasons and circumstances when it comes to work schedules. She explained that she had travelled to India for a limited period and wanted to finish her shoot as soon as possible so that she could return to the US and spend time with her children. She shared, "Every day we had very long shoots. So, each to his own and of course, the reason I was working 18 hours is that I wanted to finish my work as soon as I could and go back to America to be with my kids."
Preity said the shoot involved very long days, with the actor working almost every day during her 30 to 40-day stay in India. She also revealed that she did not spend her evenings socialising during the schedule, choosing instead to focus entirely on completing her professional commitments. She quipped, "It's not always that everyone is laughing on set. You want to get the job done. There was a lot of action. There were many other variables. Sometimes it was raining. Sometimes you were sick. So, keeping all that in mind. So my whole thing was, 'I don't mind doing this.' Because I'm coming to India. And I'm here for 30-40 days."
The actor pointed out that filmmaking comes with several unpredictable factors, including weather conditions, health issues and the demands of action sequences. Since Vibe features her in an action avatar, the shoot involved additional physical and logistical challenges.
Her comments come amid a larger conversation in the Hindi film industry over the length of working days for actors. The debate gained renewed attention following reports that Deepika Padukone exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit after disagreements over working hours, including her reported request for an eight-hour workday. Reacting to the debate, she shared, 'Each to its own.'
Preity's remarks, however, appear to underline that working hours can depend on individual circumstances rather than one fixed standard. While she was willing to put in 18-hour days for Vibe, she made it clear that her decision was based on her specific schedule and personal priorities.
Vibe marks Kunal Kemmu's second directorial venture after Madgaon Express. The film stars Preity alongside Sparsh Srivastav, Vanshika Dhir, Yashpal Sharma and Dinesh Lal Yadav. Kemmu plays a man who finds himself reluctantly pulled into a secret mission, with the film combining comedy and elements of a spy thriller. Produced by Kunal Kemmu and Chirag Nihalani under Drongo Films, Vibe is backed by Amazon MGM Studios and is scheduled to release in theatres on September 18.
