Highlights
- Pranay Reddy Vanga has made fresh claims about Deepika Padukone's exit from Spirit.
- He alleged that remuneration, scheduling and other disagreements were behind the casting change.
- The producer also alleged that details discussed privately about the film were leaked.
Deepika Padukone's exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit has taken a fresh turn after producer Pranay Reddy Vanga made new claims about the circumstances surrounding her departure.
The actress had originally been linked to the Prabhas-led film, but was later replaced by Triptii Dimri. Reports at the time attributed the fallout to disagreements over remuneration and working hours. In a recent interview that has resurfaced online, Pranay claimed there were "multiple things" behind the decision to move on from Padukone.
'There were multiple things'
Asked about Padukone's exit, Pranay said remuneration and timing were among the issues discussed before adding that there were other disagreements as well.
"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," he said.
Pranay claimed Sandeep had been in discussions with Padukone for around a year and a half and was keen to have her in the film. He also alleged that the actress sought a percentage of the film's profits as part of her terms.
Producer alleges Deepika asked for 10% of profits
According to Pranay, Padukone asked for a 10% share of Spirit's profits. He said the actress had strong negotiating leverage following her recent box-office success, but claimed the proposed terms ultimately did not work within the film's economics.
"She demanded 10 percent 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," he said.
Pranay maintained that the issue was not simply about the amount of money involved. He claimed the makers were willing to increase Padukone's remuneration by another Rs 5-6 crore, but said the overall terms made the arrangement difficult.
'She leaked all of them'
The most serious allegation concerned information that Pranay said had been discussed privately during the development of the project.
He claimed the team had spent more than a year discussing the story and Padukone's character with her. After the makers began considering alternatives, he alleged that details from those discussions started appearing publicly.
"Once we started looking for other options, they started leaking everything," Pranay alleged.
He further claimed, "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 did not provide specific evidence in the interview to substantiate the allegation. Deepika Padukone has not publicly responded to these latest claims.
Deepika Padukone's earlier comments on Spirit
Padukone's exit had already generated significant discussion, particularly around reports that she wanted an eight-hour working schedule for the film.
The actress had previously addressed the broader issue, questioning why female actors should not be able to set similar working-hour boundaries when leading male stars could limit their schedules and working days.
Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and starring Prabhas, is scheduled to release in March 2027. Triptii Dimri is now attached to the project in the female lead role.
