Deepika Padukone has seemingly responded to the renewed controversy surrounding her exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit by liking an Instagram post that criticised the filmmaker and his brother’s recent comments about her.
According to NDTV, the controversy resurfaced after Pranay Reddy Vanga, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s brother, claimed that Deepika had demanded a 10 per cent share of the film’s profits before walking away from the project.
Following his remarks, journalist Janvi Manchanda shared a lengthy post on Instagram questioning the criticism directed at Deepika for allegedly seeking a profit share.
The post highlighted what it described as a double standard in the film industry, arguing that male actors have frequently negotiated profit-sharing deals without facing similar backlash.
One slide in the post read, “A woman rejected a deal, and misogyny couldn’t handle a woman’s ‘no’.”
Deepika appeared to show her support for the sentiment by liking the post. The post has since attracted thousands of likes, reposts and comments from users supporting the actor.
Deepika’s departure from Spirit was first reported last year, with reports suggesting disagreements over the film’s shooting schedule and other production demands.
Pranay Reddy Vanga recently offered his version of events in an interview with NTV Telugu.
He said remuneration and timing were among the reasons for Deepika’s exit and claimed that she had asked for 10 per cent of the film’s profits.
“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,” he said.
He added that Deepika could ask for whatever she wanted, but the production team had to consider whether the proposed arrangement worked financially.
Pranay also alleged that details about the film’s story and Deepika’s character were leaked after discussions with the actor. These claims have not been independently established.
When Deepika initially exited Spirit, reports claimed that she had requested an eight-hour working day while balancing filming with motherhood.
The latest allegations have now brought the dispute back into the spotlight, particularly after Pranay’s comments about the reported profit-sharing demand.
Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Spirit stars Prabhas and Triptii Dimri in the lead roles.
The film is currently scheduled to release in March 2027.
Deepika has not issued a separate public statement addressing Pranay’s latest allegations, but her apparent support for the Instagram post has added another layer to the ongoing controversy.
