Deepika Padukone’s exit from 'Spirit' reportedly involved more than a disagreement over working hours. Producer Pranay Reddy Vanga has now claimed that the actress also asked for a 10 percent share of the film’s profits during negotiations for the Prabhas-led project.

The casting change had earlier drawn attention after reports surfaced about Deepika seeking an eight-hour workday for the Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial. Deepika had defended the idea of setting working-hour boundaries, pointing out that similar arrangements are accepted for male actors.

ALSO READ: Work-life balance always mattered to Deepika Padukone; even before ‘Spirit’

Pranay Reddy Vanga, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s brother and the producer of ‘Spirit’, has now shared more details about the discussions. Speaking to NTV Telugu, he said negotiations with Deepika continued for nearly 18 months and that Sandeep was keen on having her in the film.

According to Pranay, the discussions eventually broke down over several issues, including remuneration, scheduling and the proposed working conditions. He also claimed that Deepika had asked for 10 percent of the film’s profits.

The producer said the financial arrangement did not work for the project considering its budget. This, along with the other differences during negotiations, reportedly contributed to Deepika no longer being part of ‘Spirit’.

Pranay also spoke about alleged leaks concerning the film. He claimed that information about 'Spirit 'and Deepika’s character reached the public after the team began discussing other actresses for the role. His comments have once again brought focus to a cryptic post shared by Sandeep Reddy Vanga in May 2025.

At the time, the filmmaker had spoken about an unnamed actor allegedly revealing confidential information about a project. Sandeep referred to an “unsaid NDA” between filmmakers and actors and criticised the alleged breach of trust.

After Deepika’s departure, Triptii Dimri was announced as the female lead opposite Prabhas. The casting change has remained one of the major talking points around 'Spirit' even as the film continues its production journey.

'Spirit' marks Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s second collaboration with T-Series and Triptii Dimri after ‘Animal’. The film stars Prabhas, Vivek Oberoi and Aishwarya Desai and is scheduled to release on March 5, 2027, in eight languages.