Ajay Devgn, Kajol support eight-hour shift for mothers in the film industry

Bollywood actor couple Kajol and Ajay Devgn on Thursday expressed their support for an eight-hour shift policy, particularly for working mothers, during movie shoots.

At the trailer launch of Maa, Ajay and Kajol were asked to comment on the demand for an eight-hour shift for working mothers. “I love the fact that we can work less,” Kajol told reporters.

What did Ajay Devgn and Kajol say about eight-hour shift for mothers in the film industry

Ajay said “honest” filmmakers in the industry are open to the idea of an eight-hour shift. “It’s not that it’s not going well (the demand for eight hour shift); people understand it. Most of the honest filmmakers will not have a problem with this (demand). Apart from working mothers, many others have usually started working for eight to nine hours. So, it is person-to-person, and most of the industry understands this,” the actor-producer said.

Actor Deepika Padukone’s alleged exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit after the two did not agree over an eight-hour working shift among other conditions has sparked a discussion around shooting hours in the industry. Deepika Padukone and Sandeep Vanga never officially announced that they were collaborating but the director recently accused an unknown actor for playing “dirty pr games” and revealing key plot details in media. He later announced Triptii Dimrri as the heroine of the movie.

Maa features Kajol in the titular role and is directed by Vishal Furia, who is known for his work on Lapachhapi, Criminal Justice and Chhorii. Ajay Devgn, who is producing Maa, said he was instantly attracted to the idea of making a mythological horror movie, and thought of roping in his actor wife Kajol for it.

“When Saiwyn (Quadras, writer) narrated to me the thought of this film (Maa), I realised a lot of films in the horror genre are being made, like horror-comedies, but no one has attempted mythological horror. “Hollywood often makes characters despite not having a mythological reference, but we don’t use it. It was a great idea, and we decided to do it. The character of the mother was so strong, so who else could we think of apart from her (Kajol),” the superstar said.

Kajol said she is happy to feature in a horror movie “For the first time, a mythological horror is attempted, and I’m happy to be part of it. I’m excited,” the actor said, adding, “I’ve never been approached for a horror film. This time, the casting was in-house.”

When asked about similarities between Maa and Chhorii, Furia said the only common thread between them is that they both narrate the ordeal of a mother trying to protect their daughter. “The only similarity is that both stories are about mothers. But in this film, we are talking about Kali Maa, which is a bigger entity; this world is much bigger. It is a cinematic experience, and you can’t watch it at home. The vision is of sir (Devgn), and the script is Saiwyn sir (Quadras),” the director said.

Ajay Devgn, who has been a part of horror movies like Bhoot and Shaitaan, said he fails to understand why the horror genre was not popular in the past. “I don’t know why the horror genre was not attempted with a bigger star cast before. It was not done for many years. I’ve always felt that it is a strong genre,” he said.

Slated to be released in cinema halls on June 27, Maa also stars Indraneil Sengupta, Kherin Sharma and Ronit Roy. Presented by Jio Studios and Devgn Films, Maa is produced by Ajay Devgn and Jyoti Deshpande and co-produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak.