Saba Azad spoke about the challenges women continue to face in society and the entertainment industry, months after reports surrounding Deepika Padukone’s alleged exit from Spirit and its sequel Kalki 2898 AD sparked controversy over the working conditions of actresses in Bollywood.Deepika reportedly requested an 8-hour shift after embracing motherhood, a request that allegedly did not go down well with the producers and eventually led to her withdrawing from projects. The reports sparked widespread online conversations about sexism and the treatment of women in the film industry.
Saba Azad says women still face unequal expectations at home and work
During promotions for Who’s Your Gynac? In Season 2, Saba Azad reflected on patriarchy and how entrenched gender expectations remain, even in supposedly progressive spaces.“In more advanced homes, women can work, but she will come back and set the table, and feed everyone. We don’t ask our boys to stay at home, but we ask our girls not to go out after 8 p.m. There is female infanticide, this world is full of domestic violence, and the human envelope is hyperactive. I think we have gone backwards,” she told The Indian Express.The actress added that patriarchal systems negatively affect men as well.
“There was a rise that lasted until the early 2000s, then plateaued and then collapsed. I won’t get into the political reasons why this happened; patriarchy serves no one, least of all men. It makes it impossible for men to have emotions, to say no, or to cry. There are a lot of unnecessary expectations that patriarchy places on women and men. No one is having a good time within this system, and we have a long way to go.” Saba stated.
Saba Azad talks about women being asked to work 8-hour shifts
Speaking specifically about women in the entertainment industry, Saba acknowledged that although opportunities for actresses have improved, many structural issues remain unresolved.“The art field has been leaps and bounds ahead of society; it challenges society’s perception. There is a lot of work for women in our industry now; it’s much better. But do we have pay parity? No, we don’t. Do we respect women who have just given birth and are demanding 8-hour days? No, we don’t. We’re still fighting for it,” she said.She added: “We still can’t give women that without showing them their status, so to speak. We’re doing better; there’s a lot more content for women, and there’s no clear hierarchy if you’re married anymore. It’s much better in terms of roles for married women or older women; you can thank OTT for that. Content wins stardom.”
Deepika Padukone described the situation as “ridiculously unfair.”
In 2025, Deepika Padukone’s exit from Spirit and its sequel Kalki 2898 AD became a talking point after reports claimed that the actress’ request for shorter working hours was considered unreasonable by the producers.The actress has reportedly requested an 8-hour shift to achieve a better balance between work and motherhood responsibilities. Earlier speaking to Prote India, Deepika described the situation as “ridiculously unfair”.On the work front, Deepika Padukone will next be seen in King alongside Shah Rukh Khan. The actress also announced her second pregnancy on April 19.