Cinema VinesDeepika Padukone’s exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film Spirit has resurfaced in the media after the director’s brother, Pranay Vanga, claimed that the actress had demanded a 10% profit share from the project. The controversy, which first erupted last year, has now gained new traction when journalist Janvi Manchanda posted a carousel on Instagram criticizing Pranay’s statement and pointing out the double standard applied to a woman asking for a deal that is often offered to male actors.
In the carousel, Manchanda wrote, “Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s brother Pranay claims Deepika Padukone asked for 10% profit share of Spirit and I’m just wondering, did we forget male actors have been doing this for years? Why is a woman doing the same?” She went on to highlight the gender bias in the industry, suggesting that a woman’s request for a reasonable share is met with misogynistic backlash while men routinely receive such offers. The post quickly gathered momentum, amassing over 8,000 likes and nearly 2,000 shares within 12 hours, and Deepika Padukone herself liked the post in support of the criticism.
Pranay Vanga’s explanation for Deepika’s departure centers on financial and scheduling disagreements. In an interview with NTV Telugu, he said, “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. 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.”
Initially slated to begin filming in April, Deepika had reportedly left the project after discussions over an eight‑hour workday for her as a new mother and the production’s refusal to meet her demands. The dispute has since become a focal point for debates on gender equity in Bollywood, with many fans and industry observers calling for a more balanced approach to contract negotiations. The renewed attention underscores how past controversies can linger and spark broader conversations about fairness and representation in the film industry.
