As the debate over long working hours in the Indian film industry intensifies, actor Genelia Deshmukh has weighed in with her perspective, saying that while extended shifts can be challenging, they are often manageable with mutual understanding. Her comments come in the wake of Deepika Padukone’s reported exit from director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film Spirit, allegedly due to disagreements over an eight-hour workday clause and other terms.

In a recent interview with Zoom, Genelia addressed the ongoing conversation about excessive work schedules, sharing insights from her own experience. "It is tough but not impossible," she said. "I do work for 10 hours a day and there are days when the director asks to extend it to 11 or 12 hours. I think it's fair, but we just need time to make those adjustments. When you have a day or two where you have to overdo, it's also an understanding and a process that needs to be done."

The issue came to public attention after Deepika reportedly requested an eight-hour cap on workdays, a share in the film’s profits, and exemption from delivering lines in Telugu all of which were allegedly denied by Vanga. Her decision sparked a wave of reactions across the industry, with noted figures like Mani Ratnam, Ajay Devgn, and Neha Dhupia voicing support for fairer working conditions. Triptii Dimri has since replaced Deepika in Spirit, while the latter has moved on to a new Telugu film directed by Atlee, co-starring Allu Arjun.

Meanwhile, Genelia is gearing up for her next big release, Sitaare Zameen Par, a sports-themed comedy-drama produced by Aamir Khan and directed by RS Prasanna. The film, which features ten debut actors, is set to hit theatres on June 20.