Deepika Padukone criticizes L&T chairman’s push for 90-hour work week; Read on
By Amrita Ghosh | First Published Jan 10, 2025, 10:09 AM ISTBollywood actor Deepika Padukone has criticized L&T Chairman S. N. Subrahmanyan for advocating a 90-hour work week and Sunday shifts, calling his remarks "shocking." Her response, highlighting mental health concerns, reignited debates on work-life balance in India’s corporate culture
Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone has voiced her disapproval of a statement made by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman S. N. Subrahmanyan, where he suggested a 90-hour work week and expressed a preference for employees to work on Sundays. Deepika had earlier described Subrahmanyan's remarks as "shocking," and later criticized the company's statement defending his comments.
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Following backlash, an L&T spokesperson released a statement explaining that "nation-building" was central to the company’s mission. They emphasized that for over eight decades, L&T had been contributing to India’s infrastructure, industries, and technology. The statement further added that this was "India’s decade," requiring collective efforts to achieve the vision of becoming a developed nation, suggesting that the chairman’s remarks aligned with this broader ambition. In response, Deepika shared the statement on social media, expressing her dissatisfaction by commenting, "And they just made it worse..."
Earlier, Subrahmanyan had reportedly expressed regret that he could not make employees work on Sundays, saying he would be happier if they did so since he worked on Sundays himself. He questioned what employees did while staying at home, adding that staring at one’s spouse all day was not productive and urging employees to come to the office and start working.
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Deepika, a strong advocate for mental health, responded on Instagram, describing such statements from senior leaders as shocking and reiterating the importance of mental health with the hashtag #mentalhealthmatters.
Subrahmanyan's remarks have sparked renewed discussions about work-life balance in corporate India, following recent similar controversy over Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s suggestion of a 70-hour work week.
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