The Spirit controversy refuses to die down, and how! A few months back, Sandeep Reddy Vanga had alleged that Deepika Padukone sought only an eight-hour shift and wasn't ready to mend her ways as per the shooting schedule for the Prabhas-starrer. She was then shown the door, and Triptii Dimri replaced her.
And now, months after Deepika's demands grabbed headlines, Sandeep's brother Pranay has claimed that Deepika Padukone demanded 10 per cent of the film's profits during negotiations. He also alleged that confidential story details were leaked by her.
In a podcast with NTV Telugu, Pranay addressed the reasons behind Deepika's exit from Spirit. He said several issues were discussed during the negotiations, including the actor's fee and the number of hours she would work each day.
"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," Pranay said.
According to Pranay, Sandeep had been in discussions with Deepika for around 18 months and had wanted her to be part of the film.
Pranay Claims Deepika Asked For 10% Profit Share
Pranay alleged that the negotiations were not limited to Deepika's acting fee. He claimed that she had also asked for a percentage of the film's profits.
He shared, "She demanded 10 per cent of 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. Once we started looking for other options, they started leaking everything."
He further alleged that confidential details about the film were disclosed during the dispute.
"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," he said.
Pranay also clarified that, according to his account, the disagreement was about more than an additional Rs 5-6 crore in remuneration.
How The Spirit Controversy Escalated
Deepika's reported exit from Spirit had already attracted attention following reports that she wanted an eight-hour workday.
The situation became more contentious after reports about details of the film's storyline and an alleged 'A-Rated Action' sequence surfaced. Sandeep later appeared to address the issue in a post on X, although he did not name Deepika.
He wrote, "When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, You've 'DISCLOSED' the person that you are..."
Sandeep also wrote, "Putting down a younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for? As a filmmaker, I put years of hard work behind my craft & for me, filmmaking is everything. You didn't get it. You won't get it. You will never get it."
He concluded, "Aisa karo.... Agli baar poori kahani bolna... kyunki mujhe jarra bhi farak nahi padtha (Next time, tell them the complete story because I don't really care)." He also quoted, "Khundak mein billi khamba noche." and added the hashtag "Dirty PR Games".
Deepika has previously spoken about the discussion surrounding working hours in the film industry, although she has not responded to every allegation linked to her departure from Spirit.
Speaking to CNBC-TV18 in 2025, she said, "I am someone who has always fought my battles silently, and for some strange reason, sometimes they become public — which is not the way I know and not the way I've been brought up. To fight my battles silently and in a dignified way is the way I know."
In an earlier interview with Brut India, Deepika defended her reported request for an eight-hour workday and said she did not believe it was unreasonable. She also said that male actors had been working similar hours without attracting the same level of attention.
With Prabhas and Triptii Dimri now leading Spirit, the film continues to remain in the spotlight well ahead of its scheduled March 2027 release.
