India, Oct. 11 -- Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has given a scathing analysis of the work culture in the Indian film industry amid debate about shifts for actors and technicians in Bollywood. His remarks come hot on the heels of Deepika Padukone exiting two big projects - Spirit and Kalki 2 - due to her demand for an 8-hour work shift as a new mother.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Hansal wrote a long note on the working conditions in films in India. "In our line of work, a 12-hour day is politely called a 'shift.' The truth is, between the chaos of shoots, the endless commute, hurried meals and barely a few hours of broken sleep, there's little left of us. Where does our mental health or physical well-being fit into this equation? W...