Shocking to see people in senior positions make such statements: Deepika Padukone

In an undated video circulating on social media, Subrahmanyan is heard saying, "How long can you stare at your wife?" "I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays," he further said in the video

New Delhi: Bollywood star Deepika Padukone has joined the social media discourse around L&T chairman S N Subrahmanyan’s remarks about wishing to make employees work on Sundays, saying it was shocking to see such statements coming from people in top positions at companies.

In an undated video circulating on social media, Subrahmanyan is heard saying, “How long can you stare at your wife?” “I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays,” he further said in the video.

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Sharing a post about the L&T head’s statement on her Instagram Stories, Padukone said, “Shocking to see people in such senior positions make such statements #mentalhealthmatter.” Subrahmanyan’s comments drew criticism on social media with some questioning why highly paid CEOs with different job pressures expect the same level of commitment from less-paid employees.

Soon after, L&T issued a clarification saying the chairman’s remarks were in the context of extraordinary efforts required for achieving extraordinary outcomes for the nation.

“We believe this is India’s decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realise our shared vision of becoming a developed nation.

“The chairman’s remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasising that extraordinary effort,” an L&T spokesperson said in a brief statement.

Padukone, who has been advocating about mental well-being and is also the founder of the not-for-profit organisation The Live Love Laugh Foundation, posted the company’s statement on Instagram and wrote, “And they just made it worse…” The remarks by Subrahmanyan have reignited the work-life balance debate, first triggered by Infosys Co-Founder Narayana Murthy’s suggestion of a 70-hour work week.

Last year, Murthy said, “India’s work productivity is one of the lowest in the world… my request is that our youngsters must say, ‘this is my country, I want to work 70 hours a week’.”