Ranveer's 'Dhurandhar': Director praises 18-hour workdays; faces criticism from netizens
What's the story
Filmmaker Aditya Dhar has been receiving positive feedback for the trailer of his anticipated movie, Dhurandhar. At the trailer launch event at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai, he spoke about the dedication of his cast and crew, revealing that many worked 16-18 hours a day. However, this statement has sparked a debate on working conditions in Bollywood, with comments on social media criticizing the long hours as exploitative.
Team dedication
'Dhurandhar' team worked tirelessly for 1.5 years: Dhar
During the trailer launch, Dhar said, "When we started this journey, there was a gap of five years since I last made a film." "A lot of times, HoDs get into a project because the money is good or it is prestigious." "This was a project of absolute, pure intent... They all gave their sweat and blood for the film." "Everyone worked 16 to 18 hours continuously for one and a half years, and not even once did anyone complain."
Online backlash
Social media users criticized Dhar's statement
Dhar's comments were met with criticism on social media, with many users calling the long working hours "exploitative" and "nothing to boast about." One Instagram user sarcastically wrote, "Normalise burning out." Another echoed this sentiment, saying, "I worked on a film back in 2014/15 and beyond two to three days, 18 hours work day is inhuman and not feasible."
Speculation
Dhar's comments sparked speculation about Deepika Padukone
Many netizens were confused by the tone of Dhar's praise, especially since Singh's wife, Deepika Padukone, has been vocal about her demands for shorter work shifts. One user asked if Dhar was taking a "jab" at Padukone for speaking about irregular work schedules. Another wrote, "This seems like a dig at Deepika. Weird!" Dhurandhar also stars Arjun Rampal and Sanjay Dutt and releases on December 5.