Kamal Ghorui
The conversation around long working hours and lack of basic amenities on film sets is refusing to die down, with more actors sharing first-hand experiences from the ground. The cast of Toaster—Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra, Abhishek Banerjee and Archana Puran Singh—recently weighed in, shedding light on how even basic needs are sometimes overlooked during shoots.
‘Shifts stretch far beyond what’s planned’
Archana Puran Singh pointed out that while shoots are scheduled for a certain duration, they rarely wrap on time. According to her, workdays frequently spill over 12 hours and can extend up to 13–14 hours, often without proper breaks.“Even then, they expect us to extend our work hours to 13-14 hours and skip lunch breaks. This is a kind of kanjoosi only. Kanjoosi is a mentality… How can you not let the light men, who hold their equipment and stand under the sun for hours, eat? They don’t have assistants like us bringing them fruits. It’s terrible,” she told News18.She added that within the industry, some production houses have quietly earned reputations for being particularly restrictive with food, with crew members informally referring to them based on their frugality—something she believes reflects a deeper, long-standing mindset.
‘Even basic breaks become negotiable’
Sanya Malhotra highlighted how, in many cases, even essential breaks like lunch are not treated as a priority. Her observation underscored how the urgency to stay on schedule often comes at the cost of basic comfort.Rajkummar Rao echoed a similar sentiment, questioning why structured breaks cannot be built into shoot schedules. He suggested that better planning could easily ensure timely meals, without compromising productivity.Abhishek Banerjee, meanwhile, framed it as a larger issue of intent, noting that small cost-cutting decisions can have a disproportionate impact on the people working behind the scenes.
8-hour shift conversation back in focus
The debate around working hours had already picked up momentum last year after Deepika Padukone reportedly opted out of projects like Spirit and the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD when her demand for an eight-hour workday wasn’t met.She has previously spoken about how overwork has been normalised in the industry, calling for more sustainable and humane working conditions.
