26 November,2025 07:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Keerthy Suresh
Discussion around the eight-hour shift rule has been ongoing in the film industry ever since reports surfaced that actress Deepika Padukone walked out of a film after her request for fixed working hours was denied. Several celebrities have voiced their opinion on the matter. Actress Keerthy Suresh who is promoting her upcoming film Rita Revolver, has now shared her thoughts on fixed working hour in the industry. Having worked across industries in India, Keerthy shared how each industry operates.
During a press event for Rita Revolver, Keerthy was asked about her opinion on the shift hour debate. She said, "I do 9-5, 9-9, and 9-2 also. When I was doing Mahanati, I was shooting for five other films (Agnyaathavaasi, Saamy Square, Sarkar, Sandakozhi 2 and Thaanaa Serndha Koottam). There was a time when I was doing one film in the morning and one in night. I've also done shoots that are only 9-6. For me personally, I will work both."
The actress further stressed how it affects sleep patterns. "For an actor to be ready for shoot at 9, she has to be there by 7:30 for makeup, for which I need to be up by 5-5:30. Once you pack up at 6:30, you change and leave by 7. By the time you reach home or the hotel, it's 8- 8:30. After that you work out, then dinner at 10:30, and sleep by 11:30. It is said that 8 hours of sleep is ideal, but with a 9-6 shift we barely get 6 hours of sleep. So imagine with a 9- 9 shift, you get only 4-5 hours. And the technicians come much before us and pack up much after us."
She added, "In Tamil and Telugu, it's 9- 6 unless extra time is required for particular scenes. But in Malayalam and Hindi, it's 12 hours. In the Malayalam industry there are no breaks - it's a continuous schedule. I do a lot of ads in Kerala, and they tell me how difficult it is. After wrapping shoot and packing up, they get just 3-4 hours of sleep, and the lightmen, I think, get only 2- 3 hours. So I think sleep is a problem. This is the scenario."
Keerthy concluded by giving a health perspective. "I will do both, but health-wise, I think there's a reason why they say 9-6 and that a human should work only 8 hours a day. I think it comes from that place."
