Following reports of Deepika Padukone’s exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit due to her request for an eight-hour workday, actor Pankaj Tripathi has echoed similar sentiments regarding the importance of establishing boundaries at work and learning to politely decline when those limits are crossed.
Tripathi emphasized the need for reasonable work hours, suggesting that it is acceptable to conclude work once a commitment is met, rather than overextending oneself.
In a recent interview, Pankaj Tripathi shared his personal experience with learning to say ‘no’, admitting its initial difficulty. “Right now, I’m practicing saying ‘no.’ Because everyone should know where the boundary is – that this is the line, and beyond this, it’s a polite ‘no,’” he stated. He then recounted instances where his workdays on set would stretch to an unsustainable 16 to 18 hours. “Kaam mein khiche jaa raha hai. 16 ghanta-18 ghanta ho gaya main laga hua hu. Main bol bhi raha hu, actor jaa chuka hai. Labour ruka hua hai. (The work hours are getting stretched. I am working 16–18 hours straight. I’m even saying, the actor has left, the labourers are still waiting).”
Tripathi emphasized the importance of politely asserting boundaries in such situations. “Phir laga nahi, abhi toh aap vinamrata purvak bol dijiye ki ‘Nahi, itna hi hoga. Humne commit ye kiya tha, commitment humari poori ho gayi. Ab dhanyavaad. Jo bacha hai, kal karenge.’ (At this point, you should just politely say, ‘No, this is all that can be done. This is what we committed to, and we’ve fulfilled that commitment. Thank you. Whatever is left, we’ll do tomorrow’).” He concluded by stressing that setting boundaries is crucial not only in the acting profession but across all facets of life.
Work-life balance is a necessity, isn’t it?
