‘Kanjoos’ production houses give 2 rotis for lunch, ration crew’s food, says Archana Puran Singh

Several actors over the years have spoken about the harsh working conditions on film sets, so much so that crew members are often categorised as “above the line” and “below the line.” This distinction, they say, often extends into how they are treated, including something as basic as food breaks. Recently, the cast of the new Netflix dramedy Toaster, Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra, Abhishek Banerjee, and Archana Puran Singh, stated similar concerns. Sanya Malhotra, in a conversation with News18, highlighted the issue, saying how some production houses don’t even ensure proper meal breaks. “Some production houses don’t even give us lunch breaks.” Adding to this, Archana Puran Singh spoke in detail about how tight schedules often come at the cost of basic comfort and dignity for the crew. “They want to pack in as much work as possible. We would’ve 9 am – 6 pm and 2 pm – 10 om shifts. These days, shifts span over 12 hours. Even then, they expect us to extend our work hours to 13-14 hours and skip lunch breaks. This is a kind of kanjoosi (stinginess) only. Kanjoosi is a mentality. Phir aap har cheez mein kanjoosi karte ho (Then you become stingy about everything). How can you not let the light men, who hold their equipment and stand under the sun for hours, eat? They don’t have assistants like us bringing them fruits. It’s terrible.” Adding further, Archana recalled, “We’ve experienced this a lot. There was a very big production house, which I don’t want to name. We used to call them, ‘Ek boti, do roti.’ (One piece of meat, two pieces of bread). If you ask a crew member about them, they would say, ‘Achcha, yeh toh ek boti, do roti waale hai.’ At the lunch table, the non-vegetarian food served would be very limited. Crew members would be told to only have a certain number of rotis and one serving of the non-vegetarian item.” Rajkummar Rao also raised concern about the lack of structured breaks on set. He said, “I wonder why lunch breaks are not given. If the shoot begins at 12:30 pm, they expect us to keep at it till maybe 3:30 pm. They can instead let everyone have their lunches at 1:30 pm and then resume. They should think about crew members as well. I really don’t get it.” Also Read | Assi vs Mardaani 3: The grammar of rage in the era of hypermasculine cinema Abhishek Banerjee pointed out how such small decisions reflect larger attitudes. He said, “Chhoti chhoti cheezon mein na, samajh mein aa jaata hai kanjoosi. Their idea is, isko kyun khilaaye? To save very little money, you’re depriving people.” (In small things itself, you realise the stinginess. The idea is, why feed them?). Concerns around overworking in the industry came into sharper focus last year when Deepika Padukone reportedly walked out of two major projects,  Spirit and the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD, allegedly after her demand for an eight-hour work shift was not met. In a conversation with Harper’s Bazaar, she said, “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.” Disclaimer: This article explores discussions surrounding workplace culture and professional ethics within the entertainment industry. The insights shared by the individuals are based on their personal experiences and observations and are provided for informational and entertainment purposes. These accounts should not be interpreted as formal legal or professional advice regarding employment standards or labour laws. Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.