Preity Zinta on 18-Hour Shoots: 'Each to Its Own'

Actor Preity Zinta has weighed in on the ongoing debate about working hours in Bollywood, saying that long schedules are a matter of personal choice. Speaking at the trailer launch of her upcoming film 'Vibe' in Mumbai, Zinta revealed that she had previously worked 18-hour days, but did so deliberately.

"Each to its own," she said. Her motivation, she explained, was to finish her professional commitments quickly and return to the United States to be with her children. "My focus was, 'I will come, I will finish it, bas mera kaam jaldi khatam kardo'," she added, acknowledging that such a pace was tough but driven by her personal priorities.

The remarks come amid a wider industry discussion on work schedules, which gained traction after reports that actor Deepika Padukone had sought an eight-hour shift on the set of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Spirit'. Padukone was later reported to have exited the project over creative differences.

Zinta, who plays the character Madam H in 'Vibe', also spoke about the physical demands of her role. "The action was very difficult, I have to say," she admitted, noting that she was "kicked, punched, and hit here and there" during filming. She credited the film's action team for their tireless work, saying, "Those guys didn't care about the long hours; they were always there."

'Vibe', written and directed by Kunal Kemmu, is an action-comedy that follows two ordinary friends caught in a high-stakes mission. The film stars Zinta alongside Sparsh Shrivastava, Vanshika Dhir, Yashpal Sharma, and Dinesh Lal Yadav. Kemmu revealed that he wrote the role with Zinta in mind, having been a fan of her work and noting that audiences had never seen her perform action before. "The only challenge was getting her to say yes," he said.

'Vibe' is an Amazon MGM Studios production and is scheduled for release on September 18, 2026.