Actor Keerthy Suresh has weighed in on the ongoing debate about work-hour expectations in the film industry, supporting Deepika Padukone’s recent decision to walk out of major projects reportedly due to long working schedules. Speaking during the promotions of her upcoming film Revolver Rita in Hyderabad, Keerthy explained in detail what a typical day looks like for actors and why the discussion around shift limits is long overdue.

Keerthy said she has worked through almost every kind of schedule in her career, including shoots that ran from 9 AM to 2 AM the next day. She shared that during the time she filmed Mahanati, she was simultaneously working on five other movies, moving between sets with barely any rest. According to her, such schedules take a toll on an actor’s health, sleep, and mental well-being, making an 8-hour shift ideal both for actors and for those working behind the camera.

Describing a typical day, she said that a shift starting at 9 AM actually begins much earlier for an actor. She needs to be on set by 7:30 AM, which means leaving home by 6:30 AM and waking up at 5:30 AM. After the shoot wraps around 6 or 6:30 PM, she leaves by 7 PM, reaches home around 8:15 PM, and then heads to a workout session by 8:30 PM. By the time dinner, a shower, and the remaining personal tasks are done, it is already around 11 PM. She then has to wake up again at 5:30 AM. Keerthy said this leaves barely six hours of sleep even in what is considered an “ideal” shift, making longer hours extremely draining.

She added that the situation is even tougher for technicians, who reach the sets before actors and leave long after them. According to her, this makes long shooting hours especially hard on departments such as lighting, where workers often sleep for only two or three hours. She pointed out that industries like Malayalam and Hindi cinema frequently run 12-hour shifts or continuous, break-free schedules, which she described as exhausting and unhealthy. In contrast, Tamil and Telugu industries usually maintain a 9-to-6 pattern, something she considers far more sustainable.

Keerthy emphasised that adequate sleep is as important as food or exercise and that the conversation sparked by Deepika Padukone is necessary for the industry to rethink its methods. She stated that if health, performance, and long-term sustainability matter, the film industry should standardize humane working hours.

Actor Rashmika Mandanna, while promoting her film The Girlfriend, also echoed similar sentiments, saying she too has worked long hours but believes structured shifts are essential for health and better performance.

Keerthy’s comments add momentum to a growing call for fairer working conditions in Indian cinema, raising questions about how much pressure artists and technicians are expected to endure in the name of productivity and deadlines.

: Keerthy Suresh Says Actors Need Healthier Work Hours, Supports Deepika Padukone’s 8-Hour Shift Demand 

Keerthy Suresh’s recent comments in Hyderabad add fresh clarity to the debate around long film-industry workdays, especially after Deepika Padukone reportedly stepped away from major projects due to shift demands. Keerthy explained that an actor’s day begins long before the camera rolls and ends much later than pack-up, describing how a 9 AM shift often requires waking up at 5:30 AM, commuting, shooting nonstop, returning home by evening, squeezing in workouts, and finally getting to bed close to midnight, only to repeat the cycle with barely six hours of sleep. She shared that during Mahanati she worked on five films at once, sometimes shooting from morning to 2 AM, and believes an 8-hour shift is healthier for both actors and technicians who often work even longer, with lightmen in Malayalam cinema sometimes sleeping just two to three hours. Keerthy emphasised that proper rest is essential for performance, safety, and well-being, adding that while Tamil and Telugu industries usually follow 9-6 schedules, Malayalam and Hindi shoots frequently stretch to 12 hours or more. Her stance aligns with Rashmika Mandanna’s recent reminder that better work hours are necessary not just for stars but for everyone on set.