Deepika Padukone backs ICC’s landmark pregnancy policy amid her own 8-hour workday demands

4 min readNew DelhiJun 23, 2026 09:20 PM IST

Deepika Padukone praised the ICC's new maternity policy for women cricketers. (Photo: Instagram/Deepika Padukone)

As she prepares to welcome her second child with husband Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone has welcomed the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) newly announced maternity support policy for women cricketers.

The actor took to Instagram Stories on Tuesday to praise the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) newly introduced maternity return guidelines for women cricketers. Sharing a report on the development, Deepika described the move as a “landmark moment for women in sport.”

The ICC’s new guidelines introduce a structured post-pregnancy return-to-play programme for female cricketers. Under the policy, players who have recently given birth will be provided with medical and psychological support, customised recovery plans, flexible training schedules, childcare assistance and other facilities for new mothers and their babies. The goal of the initiative is to ensure that female athletes are not forced to choose between starting a family and continuing their professional careers.

Deepika Padukone’s endorsement of the ICC’s policy is consistent with causes she has championed in recent years. The actor has frequently spoken about mental health, work-life balance and the need for better support systems for working women, particularly mothers returning to their professions after childbirth.

The conversation has gained additional attention over the past year as Deepika herself navigates motherhood while continuing her acting career.

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The eight-hour workday debate

Deepika Padukone has also been one of the most vocal voices advocating for healthier work schedules in the entertainment industry.

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In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, she spoke about the culture of overwork and burnout.

“We’ve normalised overworking. We mistake burnout for commitment. Eight hours of work a day is enough for the human body and mind. Only when you’re healthy can you give your best. Bringing a burnt-out person back into the system helps no one.”

Deepika also revealed that her own company follows structured work practices.

“In my own office, we work eight hours a day, Monday to Friday. We have maternity and paternity policies. We should normalise bringing children to work.”

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Deepika Padukone’s exit from Spirit And Kalki 2 due to 8-hour work demand

The debate around Deepika Padukone’s work-life balance intensified after reports emerged that she had sought fixed working hours and more structured schedules after embracing motherhood.

Her name was linked to discussions surrounding Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, with reports claiming that differences over work schedules and other conditions led to her exit from the project. Similar reports later surfaced regarding Kalki 2898 AD 2, with speculation suggesting that scheduling-related issues played a role in her decision not to continue with the sequel. Neither project saw an official statement linking her exit directly to the eight-hour workday debate.

Addressing the issue during a conversation with Brut India, Deepika defended her position and argued that her demand was far from unreasonable.

“I don’t think what I am asking for is ridiculously unfair and I think only someone who has worked in the system enough will know the conditions that we work in. And I am saying this, if I may say so myself, a top star, so you can only imagine what the working conditions must be like for everyone else, for the crew, for example.”

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She later spoke about the reaction her comments received and the gender bias she believes exists around such conversations.

In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Deepika said, “By virtue of being a woman, if that’s coming across as being pushy or whatever, then so be it. But it is no secret that a lot of superstars, male superstars, in the Indian film industry, have been working for eight hours for years, and it’s never made headlines. A lot of them only work for eight hours Monday to Friday. They do not work on weekends.”

What’s next for Deepika Padukone

In April this year, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announced that they were expecting their second child. The couple welcomed their daughter Dua on September 8, 2024.

On the professional front, Deepika is set to reunite with Shah Rukh Khan in Siddharth Anand’s King. The highly anticipated film will mark another collaboration between the two actors following the success of Pathaan and Jawan.