Deepika Padukone’s exit from the upcoming film Spirit created a lot of buzz. Yet again, it has caught attention, with the director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s brother, Pranay Reddy Vanga, making fresh claims, revealing the truth behind the actress’s exit and highlighting that the issues weren’t just about working hours.
As per the earlier buzz, Deepika was dropped from the film due to her demand to work only 8 hours. However, the director’s brother claims that remuneration and demands for a share of the profits were also part of the negotiations.
What’s The Whole Matter
Recently, during an interview with NTV, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s brother, Pranay, broke the silence on the decision to replace Deepika Padukone in Spirit, stating that the actress was dropped not only because of the 8-hour work requirement.
Pranay shared that the reasons were the same as those already mentioned: first, the remuneration; second, the timing; and there were other reasons as well. The director’s brother shared that Sandeep made the final decision to drop Deepika, revealing that the conversation had been ongoing for almost 18 months, as they wanted her to play a part in the film.
Pranay mentioned that Deepika’s recent box-office hits have strengthened her position in negotiations. He also shared that the actress demanded 10 percent of the film’s profit.
However, Pranay explained that Deepika can ask for anything; if they are willing to give, they can, but it should also fall within budget. Because it didn’t fall within their budget, they went with other options, but as soon as they started looking for a replacement, he alleged that Deepika started leaking details about the story and plot, which didn’t sit well with them. And lastly, Pranay claimed that the disagreement wasn’t just for an additional 5 to 6 crore remuneration.
Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Pranay Reddy Vanga, Krishan Kumar, and Prabhakar Reddy Vanga under the banners of T-Series and Bhadrakali Pictures, Spirit, starring Prabhas and Triptii Dimri, will release on March 5, 2027.
