Amid the 8-hour shift debate, Mohit Suri recalled shooting 24 hours with Emraan Hashmi for Awarapan, saying, "Emraan Hashmi shot 24 hours with me." He added the issue shouldn’t focus only on actors but also on the crew, who often work beyond paid hours, urging the industry to consider the larger humanitarian perspective.

Director Mohit Suri shared his views on the eight-hour shift debate amid the ongoing row over actress Deepika Padukone's reported demand for fixed work hours, after she become mother to daughter Dua Padukone Singh. He said the conversation has now become an ego argument and stressed that quality of work should be the focus, noting that if a unit works a 12-hour shift, they often end up working 14-15 hours including loading and unloading, while being paid only for 12 hours before heading home.

Mohit Suri On 8-Hour Shift Row

In an interview with Variety India, Suri said, "I have had actors work 24 hours when needed. When we were shooting for ‘Awarapan’ and we had a really expensive location in the presidential suite of the Intercontinental Hotel on the terrace, we had it only for 24 hours. I remember Emraan Hashmi shot 24 hours with me."

Mohit also questioned why someone should dictate shifts, adding that better work hours should not be limited to actors but must consider the needs of the entire unit. He said the debate is being seen as actor-driven but stressed that one must think about the crew as well, recalling his own experience as an assistant director waiting in a bus after pack-up while the unit wrapped up work in difficult conditions, and said he understands how challenging it is for the rest of the team.