Following reports that Deepika Padukone requested an eight-hour workday—a demand rumored to have contributed to her exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit—veteran actor Rani Mukerji has shared her perspective on the distinct challenges faced by women balancing career and motherhood in the film industry.
Rani, who recently won the Best Actress award at the 71st National Film Awards for Mrs Chatterjee vs. Norway, emphasized that while flexibility in working hours is essential, the pressure and expectations placed on women are significantly different from their male counterparts.
Recalling the Hichki Schedule
Speaking to ANI, Rani recalled her challenging schedule while filming her 2018 movie, Hichki, when her daughter Adira was just 14 months old.
“When I did Hichki, Adira was 14 months old, and I was still breastfeeding her. I had to pump the milk and leave early in the morning to shoot at a college in town,” she explained.
To manage her long commute and family duties, Rani had to adhere to a strict, tight schedule: “I’d leave by 6:30 a.m. after expressing milk. My first shot was at 8 a.m., and I’d wrap up by 12:30 or 1 p.m. My team and director were very organised. I’d reach home by 3 p.m., before the traffic worsened. That’s how I completed the film.”
The Double Standard for Mothers
Rani noted that while discussions around flexible working hours in cinema have always existed, they are only now gaining public visibility. She stressed that the industry operates on mutual choice—if a producer agrees to shorter hours, an actor proceeds; if not, they opt out—but underlined the stark gender double standard.
“Men don’t have to go through a physical transformation,” she stated. “Women, on the other hand, go through both physical and emotional changes after becoming mothers. But I’m very happy being a woman.”
Rani’s comments highlight that female actors are often expected to pause or severely adapt their careers after having children, a pressure their male colleagues rarely encounter.
Rani’s award-winning film, Mrs Chatterjee vs. Norway, was based on the true story of Sagarika Chakraborty’s emotional and legal battle to reclaim her children from the Norwegian foster care system.