Deepika Padukone Spirit Controversy: Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s brother, Pranay Reddy Vanga, who is a producer on Spirit, has opened up about Deepika Padukone’s exit from the film. Deepika’s exit became highly
controversial as many rumours clouded this decision. It also sparked a debate about pay parity and work hours in the Indian entertainment industry.
‘Deepika Was Unhappy With Salary, Sandeep Let Her Go’
Pranay has now confirmed that Deepika had to exit the project due to issues regarding remuneration, scheduling and more. Pranay told NTV Telugu, “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. I don’t remember on the top of my head right now, but there were multiple things. It was Sandeep’s call.”
#DeepikaPadukone asked for unreasonable Remuneration hike, her schedule was unprofessional & unfair to the rest of the team, and she wanted 10% of post release profit from #Spirit – #PranayReddyVanga
This led to Sandeep choosing #TriptiDimri 👀 #Prabhas #SandeepReddyVanga pic.twitter.com/GnafTRUWXv
— The Climax India (@TheClimaxIndia) August 20, 2026
‘Deepika Wanted 10 Per Cent Of Film’s Profit’
He claimed that Sandeep was keen to cast Deepika and had been in touch with her for 1.5 years. However, “She demanded 10 per cent from the film’s profit. Soon after, everything went overboard. See, she can ask for anything. If we are willing to give, we can give. But the economics (budget) should also work out for us. We thought that it was not working. This is why we thought of other options”.
‘Deepika Leaked Spirit Plot’
He even alleged, “Once we started looking for other options, they started leaking everything… We discussed the story and character with her. Things discussed internally should not be revealed, but she leaked all of them. That is why we are disturbed.” Pranay said that they were willing to pay Deepika Rs 5-6 crore more; however, it was the overall budget of the film that became an issue for the actress.
Triptii Dimri Roped In, Spirit Release Date
Deepika has yet to react to these claims. Meanwhile, after Deepika’s exit, Triptii Dimri was roped in to star opposite Prabhas. Triptii has previously worked with Sandeep in Animal, which made her a household name. Spirit is scheduled to be released in theatres on March 5, 2027.
