Producer Explains Deepika Padukone Exit From Spirit Over Profit Share

Producer Pranay Reddy Vanga has offered his perspective on the departure of actress Deepika Padukone from the upcoming film Spirit, stating that the decision involved multiple factors, including remuneration, scheduling, and a dispute over profit-sharing that ultimately led the team to seek an alternative.

In an interview, Pranay Reddy Vanga, brother of director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, explained that his brother had been in discussions with Padukone for approximately one and a half years and was keen to cast her in the Prabhas-led project. However, he said the conversations shifted as the project progressed. According to Pranay, key points of contention included the actress's remuneration and availability. He added that another significant issue was Padukone's request for a 10 percent share of the film's net profits after its release, a demand that reportedly arose following the success of some of her recent films. "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," Pranay stated.

He asserted that the final decision to move on from...