Did Deepika Padukone and Sandeep Reddy Vanga have a falling out over her contract for ‘Spirit’?

Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s highly anticipated film Spirit, featuring Prabhas, is back in the spotlight, but not for the reasons fans were hoping for. It seems the film, which was supposed to have Deepika Padukone in the lead role, has experienced a significant casting change. Multiple reports suggest that Deepika is no longer part of the project.

Did Deepika Padukone exit Prabhas-starrer ‘Spirit’ after clash with director Sandeep Reddy Vanga?

What’s the reason behind this? Alleged disagreements over contract terms between the actress and the director. Several Telugu news outlets have reported that Deepika’s demands, including an 8-hour workday (which translates to about 6 hours of actual shooting), an INR 20 crore salary, a share of the film’s profits, and her unwillingness to deliver Telugu dialogues, have caused mounting frustration for Sandeep.

According to reports, Deepika Padukone, through her agency, reportedly began requesting modifications to her contract, specifically asking for additional compensation if the shoot extended beyond 100 days. Sources suggest that these demands prompted Sandeep to initiate the search for a new female lead after consulting with the film’s producers.

Interestingly, earlier reports had pointed to Deepika’s pregnancy as the reason for the delays in Spirit’s shooting schedule. She had initially stepped back but later returned to the project after some adjustments were made. However, that reunion now seems to have been quite brief.

While neither Deepika nor Sanddep has officially confirmed her departure, the chatter surrounding this casting change has taken social media by storm. It appears the search is on for a new leading lady.