Behind the Scenes: Producer Pranay Reddy Vanga Breaks Silence on Deepika Padukone’s Exit from ‘Spirit’
The highly anticipated collaboration between filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga and pan-Indian superstar Prabhas for the upcoming project Spirit has been embroiled in casting speculation for months. While initial reports cited scheduling conflicts and remuneration issues for Deepika Padukone’s departure from the project, fresh claims from producer Pranay Reddy Vanga have brought new, controversial details to light.
In a recent viral interview, Pranay Reddy Vanga—brother of director Sandeep Reddy Vanga and a producer on the film—addressed the high-profile exit, alleging that the decision to move forward with Triptii Dimri instead was prompted by more than just standard contract negotiations.
Demands for Profit Sharing and Budgetary Constraints
According to Pranay, the production team had been in active discussions with Padukone for nearly 18 months, with the director eager to cast her in a lead role. However, as Padukone’s box-office dominance grew, so did her negotiation terms.
Pranay alleged that the actress requested a 10% share of the film’s total profits—a demand the producers found untenable within the context of the project’s financial planning. "She demanded 10 percent from the film’s profit," Pranay stated. "Everything went overboard. See, she can ask for anything… but the economics should also work out for us. We thought that it was not working."
The producer noted that while the team would have been amenable to paying an additional fee of Rs 5–6 crore, the combination of profit-sharing demands and restrictive scheduling led to a disconnect in the project’s overall viability.
Allegations of Leaked Information
Beyond the financial disputes, Pranay leveled a serious charge regarding the handling of confidential material. He claimed that after negotiations stalled and the production team began looking for alternative leads, sensitive information regarding the script and character development—discussed internally during their year-long collaboration—was leaked to the public.
"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 alleged, suggesting a breach of trust between the star and the production house.
A Long-Standing Debate
The controversy surrounding Spirit previously sparked a broader conversation in the industry when rumors emerged that Padukone had requested an eight-hour daily working cap. Last year, the actress addressed the pushback against such demands, questioning the industry’s double standards. She famously challenged the narrative, asking why female actors are criticized for setting boundaries that are often accepted as standard practice for male superstars.
As the production moves forward, the casting of Triptii Dimri has been finalized, and the team remains focused on the film’s trajectory. The ongoing discussion regarding this Spirit controversy continues to highlight the complex power dynamics and transparency issues prevalent in modern big-budget Indian cinema.
Spirit is currently slated for a theatrical release in March 2027.