Setting boundaries isn’t unprofessional—so why are women still criticised for it?

Being a woman in the workplace is often an act of resilience. Being a woman in the spotlight—navigating fame, motherhood, and relentless public expectation—requires a whole new level of strength. And when that woman is Deepika Padukone, one of the most powerful names in Indian cinema, the stakes are only higher. The recent headlines surrounding her exit from Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, prove just how uncomfortable the world still is with women who ask for more.

Padukone, who recently welcomed her first child, reportedly requested a limited six-hour workday, a fair fee, and creative clarity. These are not outlandish demands—they’re basic professional boundaries. Instead, the actress was quickly branded “unprofessional,” “unreasonable,” and accused of sabotaging a film’s vision. The reaction from the film’s team was swift, sharp, and not-so-subtly personal. The subtext was clear: how dare a woman, especially one with a newborn, ask for control?

It’s a pattern that’s all too familiar. When male actors negotiate profit-sharing deals, demand language coaching, or request script changes, it’s seen as a commitment to their craft. But when a woman, particularly one with Deepika Padukone’s influence, dares to do the same, it becomes a public spectacle. The industry, still steeped in double standards, expects its leading women to be agreeable, accommodating, and above all, available—regardless of their stage in life.

Padukone’s exit and the public fallout that followed aren’t just about one film. They’re a reflection of the resistance women continue to face when they assert their worth. Her professional choices were met not with dialogue but with dismissal. Her desire to balance motherhood with meaningful work was seen not as her strength but as an inconvenience. And her decision to walk away became a character flaw rather than a career move.

What this episode reveals is the discomfort that still surrounds powerful women who refuse to bend. It exposes how easily the label of “difficult” is applied when women place boundaries, particularly when those boundaries disrupt a male-led narrative. It also underscores the unspoken expectation that women, no matter how accomplished, should always be grateful for opportunity—and never ask for too much.

In reality, Deepika Padukone didn’t walk away from a film. She walked towards autonomy. She reminded an entire industry that being talented doesn’t mean being tolerant of inequality. That being a new mother doesn’t mean erasing ambition. And that having a voice doesn’t mean staying silent when it matters most.

If anything, her decision reinforces the importance of agency—and the necessity of normalising women, especially in entertainment, choosing themselves. The headlines may reduce it to a casting shuffle. But make no mistake: this was a statement. And it’s one the industry would do well to listen to.

Lead image credit: Getty Images 

Also read: The great feminism recession: the backlash to gender equality is here—but why?

Also read: Cinema is done silencing female rage—now it’s putting it front and centre