Deepika Padukone stepped away from Sandeep Reddy Vanga‘s ‘Spirit’ back in April 2025. Her departure from the pan-India project had sparked massive controversy at the time, with the filmmaker making allegations on social media and the industry engaging in a broader debate over actors’ working hours. The controversy resurfaced this week after Pranay, the director’s brother, claimed that one of the reasons behind Deepika’s exit was her alleged demand for a share in the film’s profits.
Deepika Padukone met Sandeep Reddy Vanga only once
According to Hindustan Times, Deepika met Sandeep only once in her life and the filmmaker arrived a whole hour late to the meeting. The actress took the rest of the meeting professionally. In the meeting, only a one-liner of the film was shared. She didn’t receive a full narration of the film. Moreover, the report also mentioned that Deepika never commits to a project without receiving a full narration. So, ‘Spirit’ was never a part of Deepika’s consideration set to begin with. Sandeep is the kind of filmmaker Deepika would never collaborate with, given his misogynist nature: one that is greatly evident not only in his off-screen persona but in his movies too.
Deepika Padukone’s demand for fixed work hours
Last year, Deepika had been in discussions with Sandeep for ‘Spirit’, his Prabhas-starrer project. However, it came to light in April that she had walked away from the film. Reports suggested that the actor, as a new mother, had requested a fixed eight-hour workday, a demand the production reportedly did not agree to. Around the same time, the makers of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ also announced her exit from the sequel via a post on X, triggering widespread discussions online around professionalism, work-hour boundaries, and pay structures in big-budget films.
Deepika Padukone faces backlash from Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Following reports that Triptii Dimri would step in as Deepika’s replacement, claims surfaced suggesting that Deepika had exited the film due to discomfort with certain intimate scenes. Reacting to this, director Sandeep posted an angry message on Twitter, seemingly aimed at Deepika. In May 2025, he wrote, “When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, you’ve ‘DISCLOSED’ the person that you are…. Putting down a Younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for?”.
Deepika Padukone’s alleged demand for profit share
The debate resurfaced this past week when Pranay, Sandeep’s brother, claimed that Deepika’s exit was partly driven by her demand for a 10% profit share in the film. In an interaction with NTV Telugu, Pranay Reddy, “The reason is the same as what was already mentioned. One was remuneration, the second was timing. Apart from that, there are some other reasons, too. Soon after, everything went overboard. See, she can ask for anything. If we are willing to give, we can give. But the economics should also work out for us. We thought that it was not working. This is why we thought of other options. Once we started looking for other options, they started leaking everything.”
Deepika Padukone’s response to the backlash
On Friday, Deepika liked an Instagram post that pushed back against Sandeep and Pranay’s comments, applauding her for demanding ‘what men routinely get’ within the industry.
Deepika Padukone’s upcoming projects
Meanwhile, Triptii landed the film’s female lead role alongside Prabhas, with their first look unveiled on New Year’s Day 2026. The cast also includes Vivek Oberoi in a lead part, and the film is scheduled to hit screens on March 5, 2027. As for Deepika, she has two upcoming releases lined up, ‘King’, which reunites her with Shah Rukh Khan and is set for a December release, and Atlee’s ‘Raaka’ opposite Allu Arjun, releasing next year.
