'I am workaholic, worked 12-hour shifts for Mrs. Deshpande': Madhuri Dixit joins work-life balance debate amid Deepika's controversial film exits

Madhuri said that while she is open to long working hours, the decision ultimately rests with individual artistes.

Speaking on the ANI podcast with Smita Prakash, Madhuri described herself as a “workaholic”, revealing that she worked 12-hour shifts for her upcoming web series Mrs. Deshpande, which will be premiered on Jio Hotstar on December 19.

She said, “The thing is that when we did Mrs Deshpande, we were working 12-hour shifts every day, like maybe more sometimes… So, I think to each his own.

"I'm a workaholic. So for me, maybe it's a different thing, but if a woman has that power and can say, 'okay, I want to work these many hours,' then that's her prerogative, and that's her life, and that's how she wants to do it… Then more power to her.”

Deepika Padukone first made headlines when she exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit reportedly over her “eight-hour schedule” demand not being accepted.

Vanga replaced the actress with Triptii Dimri at a reportedly lower remuneration and shared a cryptic post on social media.

In a more recent incident, Deepika quit the sequel of Kalki 2898 AD amid another scheduling row. Vyjayanthi Movies, the production house, issued a cryptic remark on “commitment” while announcing her exit, keeping the debate alive over working hours and professional expectations in Bollywood.