After Deepika Padukone, new mom Kiara Advani has become the latest Bollywood celebrity to join the conversation around balanced working hours and mental well-being in the film industry.
Kiara and her actor husband Sidharth Malhotra welcomed their first child, daughter Saraayah, in July this year.
In a recent interview, the 34-year-old stressed upon the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Kiara said she believes overworking and burnout helps no one. She said she tries to apply three words—dignity, balance and respect—equally to her staff at home and crew at work.
She was sharing her views on the ongoing debate in Bollywood sparked following Padukone's reported demand for 8-hour work shifts, which led to her exit from the upcoming film “Spirit”, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, starring Prabhas.
Also read: Work hours should be personal decision: Madhuri Dixit
Kiara also shared that she is actively reading new scripts, including one for a biopic that she is particularly enthusiastic about. She explained that her refined approach to script selection is “not about the genre anymore.” She now chooses projects based on “the soul of the story.”
She said this new clarity and drive is coupled with a strong commitment to prioritising mental health—both her own and her colleagues’.
Kiara disclosed that when she is mentally exhausted, the sound of her daughter Saraayah giggling in her sleep instantly lifts her spirits.
On the work front, Kiara will next be seen in Yash-starrer “Toxic”, which is set to release in March 2026.
Follow us
