Amul's Quirky Take On L&T Boss' "Stare At Wife" Remark

Dairy brand Amul is known for creating unique graphics and posters on trending news and topics across the world. From sports to entertainment and global news, the brand covers it all. Now, keeping up with this tradition, Amul on Tuesday shared a quirky doodle on the ongoing controversy about the 90-hour workweek. Notably, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) chairman SN Subrahmanyan reignited the debate on social media about long work hours by suggesting that employees should work up to 90 hours a week, including Sundays, to maintain a competitive edge.

In a video circulating online, he stated, "I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I could, I would. I work on Sundays." Mr Subrahmanyan then questioned what employees gained from taking time off at home. He said, "What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Get to the office and start working."

Now, joining the discussion, Amul shared a doodle along with the caption, "Controversy about the 90-hour work week!" The text on the doodle read, "Labour and Toil?" with L and T in bold. The dairy brand also took a dig at Mr Subrahmanyan's comment "How long can you stare at your wife?" 

"Amul stares at bread daily," the text on the doodle read. 

Take a look below: 

#Amul Topical: Controversy about the 90 hour work week! pic.twitter.com/VQlwoLoTx8

— Amul.coop (@Amul_Coop) January 14, 2025

Meanwhile, Mr Subrahmanyan's comments have received backlash from social media users, with many comparing it to Infosys founder Mr Murthy's statement about working 70 hours a day. Internet users also questioned why CEOs, who are highly paid and have different job pressures, expect the same level of commitment from lower-paid employees. 

Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone and Harsh Goenka, Chairperson of the RPG Group, also condemned Mr Subrahmanyan's remarks. "90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to 'Sun-duty' and make 'day off' a mythical concept!" Mr Goenka posted on X. 

Also Read | India-Origin Founder Shares "Sad Reality" Of Being Student In Foreign Land   

Anand Mahindra weighed in on the 90-hour workweek debate, suggesting that the focus should be on quality rather than quantity. He emphasised the importance of prioritising productivity and efficiency over lengthy work hours.

While India collectively debates the feasibility of such marathon work schedules, the International Labour Organisation reported that India already has a front row in the global overwork arena. India is ranked 13th among the world's most overworked countries, ILO revealed. The organisation also stated that on average Indian employees work 46.7 hours each week, with 51% of India's workforce working 49 or more hours each week, ranking India second among countries with the highest rates of prolonged working hours.