MUMBAI: Following weeks of being in the spotlight for her film release, Thamma, and her reported engagement to actor Vijay Deverakonda, actress Rashmika Mandanna is now making headlines for weighing in on the crucial debate about work timings in the film industry. Her recent comments advocating against “overworking” come just as producer Sreenivasa Kumar lauded her professional dedication, claiming she has never imposed strict work-hour restrictions, a statement that was perceived as a subtle counterpoint to the controversy sparked by reports of Deepika Padukone’s alleged demand for an 8-hour shift for her film Spirit.
Rashmika, who is currently busy preparing for her next film, The Girlfriend, shared her thoughts on the importance of work-life balance in a recent interview with Gulte.
A Warning Against the ‘Overwork’ Culture
Referencing an earlier admission that she hasn’t had a full eight hours of sleep in months, Rashmika was candid about the unsustainability of the current work culture.
“I think us glorifying the fact that we overwork is not good,” Rashmika stated plainly. “I overwork, and I’m telling you, it’s highly not suggestible. Don’t do it. It’s not sustainable. Don’t do it. Do what is comfortable for you, do what is right for you.”
She specifically advised against sacrificing rest, stressing the long-term consequences of such practices. “Get those 8 hours, get those 9-10 hours also because trust me that’s going to save you in the later ages.”
The Industry Reality vs. Personal Choice
Acknowledging the current discussions around work timing, Rashmika noted that she has personally experienced working both ways and has concluded that the relentless pace is “not worth it.”
The actress, however, also explained why she often “gives in” to long hours. She revealed that she tends to overwork because she takes on “so much more than a normal human being can and should.” Crucially, she is hesitant to let her team down when faced with production constraints: “If I know that they are struggling and they’re like ‘no we have this location only till now and we have to shoot so much in this time’ and all of that, I understand and I’ll give in.”
Agreeing with director Rahul Ravindran’s interjection that this scenario is an “almost everyday” reality in cinema, Rashmika explained, “That’s the love and respect I have for my teams.”
A Plea for Standard Work Hours
Despite her willingness to cooperate with her teams, Rashmika ultimately pleaded for a structural change in the industry’s schedule, advocating for better respect for personal time for everyone involved.
“If I could choose for myself, I would say ‘please don’t make us actors do that, because there’s a lot that’s going on’,” she urged. Her request extends beyond actors to the entire crew, including directors, lightmen, and music artists:
“Just have, like you know how office time is 9 to 6 or 9 to 5 or 9 to 4, let us have that. Because there’s still a family life that I want to focus on, there’s still my sleep that I want to get in, I still want to work out so, you know, later on I’m not regretting that I wish I was, you know, healthy and fit and working out when I was younger. I’m still thinking about my future.”
Rashmika’s thoughtful input provides a nuanced perspective to the ongoing debate, highlighting the conflict between an actor’s personal commitment to health and the demanding, often unpredictable, realities of film production schedules.