New Delhi, Nov. 15 -- Bollywood star Deepika Padukone has reignited debate around the work culture in the Indian film industry, arguing that an eight-hour work shift should become the norm.

In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar India, she made a pointed appeal for better work-life balance, particularly for new mothers returning to the workforce.

Padukone did not mince her words, "We've normalised overworking. We mistake burnout for commitment," she said, arguing that working eight hours a day is sufficient for the human body and mind.

She stressed that only when people are healthy can they truly perform at their best, warning that reintroducing a "burnt-out person" into the system benefits no one.

In her own workplace, Padukone s...