Deepika Padukone responds after Farah Khan denies taking a dig at her 8-hour shift demand

Farah Khan talked about her comments on Deepika Padukone's 8-hour shift, revealed she was never following Deepika and Ranveer Singh in the first place.

Bollywood filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan recently grabbed headlines after she spoke about Deepika Padukone working only eight hours a day in her vlog. Soon after, rumours surfaced that Farah and Deepika had unfollowed each other on Instagram, hinting at a possible fallout between the two. However, in a recent interview with Pinkvilla, Farah has finally cleared the air and Deepika responded to her statement.

Farah Khan breaks the silence on unfollowing Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh on Instagram.

Farah Khan clears the air about fallout with Deepika Padukone

Dismissing the rumours of unfollowing Deepika and Ranveer on social media, Farah said, “To begin with, we were not following each other earlier either! We had made a pact during the Happy New Year shoot that we wouldn’t communicate on Instagram, but instead through direct messages and calls. We don’t even post birthday wishes on Instagram because Deepika doesn’t like it.”

She further denied taking a dig at Deepika’s eight-hour shift demand, clarifying, “Also, my eight-hour comment wasn’t a dig. It was just to make Dilip say that he will now also work for eight hours, when he actually only works for two! No one even knows that I was one of the first people to visit Deepika when Dua was born. Not everything is done for Instagram and the paps.”

Deepika also reacted to Farah’s statements, commenting, “Amen! (folded hands)” on the portal’s Instagram post.

Earlier, Farah had been accused of ignoring Aayush Sharma at the premiere of Homebound. However, she clarified that she hadn’t seen him due to the crowd. She also criticised the new trend of turning anything into a ‘fake controversy’ and revealed that while such incidents can create misunderstandings, she makes it a point to call people directly before things escalate.

What Farah Khan had said

Farah recently visited actor Rohit Saraf’s house for her cooking vlog with Dilip. During the vlog, Dilip asked, “Deepika Padukone ma’am kab aayengi humare show mein (when will Deepika ma’am come to our show)?” To this, Farah joked, “Jis din tu gaon jaayega naa uss din aayegi (the day you go to your village). Deepika Padukone ab sirf 8 ghante shoot karti hai, usko show pe aane ka time nahi hai (She now shoots only for eight hours, she doesn’t have time to come to our show).”

About Deepika Padukone’s eight-hour shift demand

Deepika embraced motherhood when she welcomed her daughter Dua in September 2024. Following this, she reportedly requested a standard eight-hour shift for her film shoots. It is believed that when her demand was not accommodated, she opted out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit. Recently, Kalki 2898 AD producers, Vyjayanthi Movies, also announced that Deepika would not be part of the film’s sequel. Soon after, reports claimed that she had demanded a 25% increase in her fee compared to the first film, along with a seven-hour shift cap and additional payment for every extra hour worked. Deepika, however, has remained silent on the matter.

Deepika and Farah’s connection

Deepika made her Bollywood debut in Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om, which launched her into Hindi cinema and made her an overnight sensation. She also featured in Farah’s most recent directorial, Happy New Year, which was a box-office success. Deepika has often credited Farah for believing in her and launching her career alongside Shah Rukh Khan, even when she was relatively new.