There seems to be a fallout brewing. Actor Deepika Padukone is reportedly no longer part of filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga's next feature, Spirit, after the duo hit a roadblock over certain "demands" of the star, several Telugu media portals reported.
Last week, it was confirmed that the makers of the cop thriller, headlined by Prabhas, had locked Padukone as the female lead. On Wednesday evening, however, reports started to emerge that the actor was "dropped" from the project after Vanga was unhappy with her "unprofessional demands".
According to multiple Telugu outlets, Padukone is said to have asked for a ₹40 crore fee with profit sharing, a six-hour working day, and refusal to speak Telugu dialogues. THR India reached out to Padukone's team for a comment, but there was no response.
Reports claim that Vanga is already looking to recast Padukone's part and is talking to other actors who can step into her role. The film, backed by Bhushan Kumar's T-Series, is gearing up to go on floors from October.
Vanga last directed the Ranbir Kapoor-led blockbuster Animal (2023) while Prabhas was seen in last year's Kalki 2898 AD, which also starred Padukone.
Though Padukone will no longer be a part of Spirit, the actor will be seen in a special role in Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming actioner King, which began filming on Wednesday. She is also rumoured to star in Allu Arjun's next, which will be directed by Atlee.
