Father of Bollywood PR reframes overtime debate as time management crisis

In a thought-provoking panel discussion on ET Now Swadesh, Bollywood’s leading PR expert Dale Bhagwagar offered a compelling new perspective on the growing debate around overtime in the entertainment industry. Weighing in on other industry voices, including actress Deepika Padukone and actor Pankaj Tripathi — Bhagwagar steered the conversation away from complaints about long hours and toward a deeper issue: time mismanagement.

Rather than labeling it an “overtime issue,” Bhagwagar argued for the need to instill better planning and time discipline across production schedules. “Overtime isn’t passion, it’s poor time management,” he stated emphatically. “When production fails to respect time, creativity declines, health suffers, and the end product loses integrity.”

The segment, ‘Reasonable Work Hours in the Entertainment Industry: A Consumer or Creator Concern’, was moderated by the versatile anchor Kavita Thapliyal and featured a diverse panel including actress Payal Rohatgi, PR veteran Sonia Kulkarni of Hunk Golden, and psychologist Dr. Sabeen Ahsan. Each panelist contributed unique insights on the human and operational costs of extended work hours in film and television.

Bhagwagar, often hailed as the Father of Bollywood PR for founding India’s first entertainment PR agency in the 1990s, brought decades of experience to the table. Through his firm, Dale Bhagwagar Media Group, he has handled image building and crisis management for over 300 celebrities, playing a key role in shaping the modern PR narrative of Bollywood.

Speaking during the discussion, Sonia Kulkarni referenced Deepika Padukone’s recent remarks about waiting until she reached a certain level of stardom to speak out. She praised the courage it takes for top actors to raise their voice. Bhagwagar agreed, but offered an important distinction: “Systemic change shouldn’t depend on star power alone. We need a legal and ethical framework that safeguards everyone, from newcomers to veterans,” he commented.

Actress Payal Rohatgi emphasized that working extra hours often reflects personal ambition. Bhagwagar acknowledged the point, while reminding the industry of its broader responsibilities: “Yes, there’s willingness involved. Producers also have an ethical and creative duty to manage time with care.”

Adding a psychological lens, Dr. Sabeen Ahsan warned that consistent overwork can lead to severe mental health challenges, especially in high-pressure creative fields.

Bhagwagar further elaborated how chaotic scheduling on sets doesn’t just delay work, it demoralizes cast and crew, burns out talent, and ultimately reflects poorly on screen. Later, sharing his thoughts on social media, he wrote, “Imagine the gains if call times were respected, scenes pre-planned, and breaks honoured. It’s not idealism, it’s operational hygiene.”

Beyond traditional PR, Bhagwagar continues to evolve with the times through Hybrid Media, his next-gen agency blending conventional publicity with cutting-edge digital strategy. His goal is crafting seamless cross-platform brand narratives for personalities and businesses in a fast-changing media world.

Summing up his thoughts as a seasoned industry insider, Bhagwagar remarked, “We spend time discussing budgets, talent, and marketing strategies, but ignore time discipline at our peril.”

As Bollywood increasingly reckons with sustainability and fairness behind the scenes, Dale Bhagwagar, often called Bollywood’s only PR guru, sends a clear message that the glamour of showbiz must be matched with greater ground-level discipline.