From a darkly comic tale of revenge to a beautiful contemplation on friendship, here are the year's most acclaimed works of fiction so far. "Daring, deranged, cleverly written," is how Vogue describes the buzzy debut by Caro Claire Burke. In this satirical thriller
Overnight fires in Delhi: Shops, homes gutted in four blazesA fire department officer was injured after the tin shed of one of the shops he was standing on during the firefighting operation collapsed. Updated on: May 24, 2026 7:37 AM IST By Karn Pratap Singh Share via Copy link Four separate fire
Ex-Meta employee says non-Chinese workers were targeted for layoffsA laid-off Meta engineer has alleged that he was routinely excluded and ostracised by his Chinese colleagues at the company. Updated on: May 24, 2026 7:01 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link A laid-off Meta engineer has alleged
X warns founder against reuploading White House shooting video: 'Revenue reduced by 90%'Nikita Bier of X warned a user against reuploading the White House shooting video, asking him to ‘Quote’ or ‘Video Reshare’ instead. Updated on: May 24, 2026 6:14 AM IST By Sanya Jain Share via Copy link
Sonam Wangchuk says Article 371 talks for Ladakh still ‘work in progress’; backs Cockroach Janta PartySonam Wangchuk hoped constitutional safeguards will be granted to Ladakh after recent talks between Ladakh groups and the Centre. Updated on: May 24
Deepika Padukone explains why 8-hour shift is ideal after Spirit, Kalki 2898 AD
Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone sparked a debate around an eight-hour shift for actors in the industry after her reported exit from Spirit and Kalki 2898 AD. Now, in a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar India, Deepika spoke about why an eight-hour shift is ideal and urged greater support for new mothers in the workplace.
When asked if motherhood had changed her in any way, Deepika said, "One hundred per cent. Every cliché is true. When mothers say, ‘You'll understand when you become one,' it's true. I have so much more respect for my mother now. You can plan how you think you'll navigate work and motherhood, but the reality is very different. I feel strongly about how new mothers need to be supported when they return to work. That's something I want to focus on."
She further explained why an eight-hour work shift is ideal for actors, saying, "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. 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."
Deepika gave birth to her first child, Dua Padukone Singh, in September 2024. In May, she reportedly exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit. Soon after her exit, reports suggested that the actor had demanded a share in profits and an eight-hour shift, which allegedly did not sit well with the director. Sandeep later replaced Deepika with Triptii Dimri opposite Prabhas.
Later, in September, the actor was dropped from Nag Ashwin's Kalki 2898 AD sequel as well. Vyjayanthi Movies made the announcement via a statement on X, writing: “This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD. After careful consideration, we have decided to part ways. Despite the long journey of making the first film, we were unable to find a partnership. And a film like @Kalki2898AD deserves that commitment and much more. We wish her the best with her future works.” Soon after, reports claimed that the fallout stemmed from the actor's demands for a 25% pay hike, a five-star hotel stay for her team, and a seven-hour workday.
Deepika has two major projects lined up. She will be seen in Atlee's AA22 x A6, which also stars Allu Arjun in the lead. The film will feature both actors in an action-packed avatar and is touted to be a sci-fi actioner, already generating significant buzz. Deepika also has Shah Rukh Khan's King in the pipeline. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the film also stars Jaideep Ahlawat, Abhishek Bachchan and Suhana Khan in key roles. It is expected to release in 2026.
Source: Hindustan Times
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