Bollywood was recently stirred by a very public and pointed controversy involving filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga and actress Deepika Padukone, following her exit from Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit, starring Prabhas. 

The issue escalated after Vanga dropped a cryptic post online, widely interpreted as a direct attack on Deepika, sparking backlash from her fans. Here's a detailed timeline of the events that led to the fallout:

Reports surfaced that Deepika Padukone was offered a staggering Rs 20 crore for her role in Spirit, which would have made it the highest paycheck of her career. Her inclusion in the film generated significant buzz, especially since it would have been her second collaboration with Prabhas after Kalki 2898 AD.

May 22, 2025: Reports Claim Deepika Is Removed from Spirit

A few days later, reports emerged that Deepika had been removed from the project by Vanga. Alleged reasons included her request for- a shorter (8-hour) workday, a high fee and a profit share in the film.

Sources claimed that these demands didn’t sit well with Vanga. As Deepika is a new mother, she was reportedly trying to balance work and family, but this resulted in her ousted from the film.