Konkona Sen Sharma sheds light on the persistent gender imbalance in work-life balance, despite recent discussions on the importance of eight-hour workdays for mental health. In a recent interview, Deepika Padukone emphasized the need for a balanced approach to work and personal life, especially for new mothers like herself. However, Konkona Sen Sharma, in a separate interview, highlights a critical aspect often overlooked in this conversation: the disproportionate burden of work-life balance on women. During a chat with Hindustan Times, she shared her experiences with managing her career and family life, noting that the expectation of women to handle both responsibilities is deeply ingrained in society. She expressed a sense of fulfillment when she feels she has a rich and fulfilling life, but also acknowledged the challenges and stress that come with it. She said, 'On a good day, I feel I have a rich and fulfilling life with so many aspects to it that even if one is a little down, one can look at the other one. But on some days, I do feel 'I don’t know how I am going to manage this'.' Konkona also discussed the changing landscape for women over 40 in the industry, noting that while there are more roles available, the industry still has a long way to go in terms of representation and support for women in their forties. She mentioned, 'I am very pleasantly surprised by this, and also that the characters I am playing don’t require me to pretend to be much younger. A lot of men and women were doing that in the big theatrical films a few years ago.' She acknowledges the progress from 'women over 30' to 'women over 40' but emphasizes that there is still a long way to go, saying, 'You always say women above 40, never above 50. Even if you are above 50, you say you are above 40. That’s a neat trick. But we'll get there.'
