With conversations around 8-hour workdays in the film industry gaining momentum, filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani has shared an anecdote highlighting Ranbir Kapoor’s commitment while filming Sanju. The director revealed that Ranbir would report to the set as early as 3 am to undergo hours of makeup before the day’s shoot.Hirani explained that the actor’s transformation into Sanjay Dutt required four to five hours of makeup every day. As a result, Ranbir would arrive at Film City well before dawn for a scheduled 7 am shoot.Hirani was asked whether actors insisting on shorter work shifts affect filmmaking and production costs, especially when compared to senior actors who often worked extremely long hours.Responding to the question, he said in an interview with IANS, , “I don’t think any actor from today’s generation says that we will work only for these many hours. They understand the importance of, at least the ones I have worked with, they understand the importance. Toh karna hai toh khatam karna hai. They will finish it.”The filmmaker then recalled how Ranbir never complained despite the demanding schedule. “I remember Ranbir, he used to have a beard in the movie, so it used to take him 4-5 hours for makeup. So if we had a 7 AM shift, he would come at 3 AM and sit in the film city at night alone. I used to arrive at 6 AM, and there used to be a van outside, a lamp hanging outside, and inside, his makeup used to be underway. And then we would shoot with him for 12 whole hours. He never complained about it. Never, to anyone. I have never seen anybody complaining otherwise as well.”Hirani’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions about regulating work hours in the entertainment industry, with several actors recently advocating for fixed shifts to promote healthier working conditions.Released in 2018, *Sanju* featured Ranbir Kapoor in the lead role and chronicled the life of Sanjay Dutt, exploring his struggles with substance abuse, personal setbacks and his arrest in connection with the 1993 Bombay bombings. The biographical drama went on to become one of the year’s biggest box office successes.
