Deepika Padukone is reportedly no longer part of Spirit after director Sandeep Reddy Vanga was irked by her ‘unprofessional’ demands.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga, known for helming Kabir Singh and Animal, is gearing up for his next big project, Spirit, starring Prabhas in the lead. The film, set to have a pan-world release, was initially said to feature Deepika Padukone as the female lead. However, if recent reports are to be believed, the actress is no longer part of the film.
According to multiple Telugu outlets, including Gulte and GreatAndhra.com, Vanga reportedly removed Deepika from the project after repeated clashes over her demands, which were deemed “unprofessional” by insiders.
Deepika allegedly requested an 8-hour workday, which reportedly translated to just about 6 hours of actual shoot time. Things escalated further when the actress is said to have demanded a hefty remuneration along with a percentage of the film’s profits. Additionally, insiders claim she refused to deliver her dialogues in Telugu.
The reports further add that Deepika was set to receive her biggest paycheck to date for Spirit, quoting an alleged Rs 20 crore fee. However, her stance on multiple aspects of the shoot apparently frustrated Vanga to a point where he has now decided to part ways with her. He is said to be scouting for a replacement already.
Interestingly, earlier reports by Pinkvilla had attributed the delay in Spirit’s shoot to Deepika’s pregnancy. The film was initially slated to begin filming in late 2024. Due to scheduling conflicts, she had declined the role, but the director reportedly returned with revised shoot timelines, prompting her to sign on.
Deepika Padukone was last seen in Jawan and Kalki 2898 AD. While she hasn’t officially announced her upcoming slate, buzz suggests she’ll be part of Kalki’s sequel and might also appear in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War as well as King.
Neither Deepika nor Sandeep Reddy Vanga has officially commented on the exit reports, but the casting update has already created a stir online.
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