Workweek Controversy: TV Celebs Reveal Suffering From 'Anxiety, Burnout' Due To Strenuous Shifts Of Over 12 Hours

Time and again, TV celebs have raised their voices against the rough working conditions, including long working hours, toxic work environment and no week off. However, every time, their voices go unheard. Once again, the topic of long working hours has come to the surface after Larsen & Tubor's Chairman SN Subrahmanyan opined on the 90-hour workweek and "regret" for not being able to make his employees work on Sundays. This has come after Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy , last year, said India's work culture needs to change and youngsters should prepare themselves to work for 70 hours a week.

We have listed down the TV celebs who spoke against long working hours and urged for fixed week-offs in the small screen industry.

Bharti Singh, Harsh Limbachiyaa and Nimrit Kaur opened up about working for long hours and its aftermath

During their podcast, the couple opened up about their experiences working long hours on a TV show set. Harsh said that earlier the actors would stay on the set for over 15 hours working. “I've seen directors and creatives suffer heart attacks and health issues due to sleep deprivation. People would drink tea, smoke, eat only set food, and suffer from acidity, but wouldn't be able to control it.” To this, Bharti added that she has seen actresses working with drips on.

Last year, Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia opened up about battling depression and her struggle was due to long working hours during the shooting of the TV show Choti Sarrdaarni, along with having no personal life and experiencing loneliness. "Battling depression has been a significant challenge in my life. I was diagnosed with burnout, anxiety, and depression due to long working hours during the shooting of Choti Sarrdaarni, along with having no personal life and experiencing loneliness."

When Gautami Kapoor fainted during the shoot

Gautami, who has been in the entertainment industry for decades, once shared that she fainted during the outdoor shoot of the show Tere Sheher Mein. She added one of the reasons behind her ill health was long working hours.

Abrar Qazi and Charrul Malik advocated for a fixed week off

Yeh Hai Chahatein actor, in 2022, urged for fixed weekly offs as they work for long hours. He shared that earlier they used to get a day off day off, but in the past few months, they started shooting all days in a week. They can only get time if the show is focusing on the other characters. To note, TV actors in India who play lead in the shows reportedly work for more than 12 hours to 14 hours a day.

In 2024, Charrul opened up about the rough working hours and urged for fixed weekly offs and fewer working hours. She said that total working hours should be 8 as the fixed routine will help them look fresh and work efficiently.

TV actors allegedly made to work 18 hours without food?

In 2018, Aisi Deewangi... Dekhi Nahi Kahi lead actors Jyoti Sharma and Pranav Misshra opened up about the "inhuman treatment and working conditions" they face while shooting on set. They alleged that they work insane hours "without food and water" and accused producers of forcing them to work despite being unwell.

Showbiz can be 'extremely' stressful

Last year, Jasmine Bhasin was asked if she thinks people from the entertainment industry are generally targeted when it comes to depression and anxiety. To this, she replied that individuals in the industry often face greater scrutiny and public pressure, making them more susceptible to depression and anxiety. And due to constant public attention and performance demands can take a toll on their mental health.

“I feel the entertainment industry can be exceptionally stressful due to factors like long working hours, unpredictable schedules, and intense competition. These factors can lead to higher stress levels compared to many other professions,” she added.