'Misogyny couldn't handle a woman's rejection': Deepika Padukone 'likes' post slamming Sandeep Reddy Vanga amid fresh Spirit row

The controversy resurfaced after Sandeep's brother, Pranay Reddy Vanga, claimed that the Bollywood star had sought a share of the film's profits, contributing to the breakdown in negotiations.

Pranay claims Deepika sought 10% profit share

Speaking to NTV Telugu, Pranay claimed that Deepika had asked for 10% of the film's profits, in addition to her demand for an eight-hour work shift, which had earlier triggered a major online debate.

Neither Deepika nor her team has responded to the fresh allegations.

However, the actress was noticed liking an Instagram post that criticised Sandeep and what it described as a "male-ego" crisis surrounding the controversy.

Journalist's post criticises Vanga

Following Pranay's claims, journalist Janvi Manchanda shared a lengthy post on Instagram alleging that the filmmakers could not accept Deepika's rejection and that their reaction was driven by misogyny and male ego.

"Breaking: Deepika Padukone Allegedly Wanted 10% Of Spirit's Profits. Judging by the meltdown, you'd think she asked for the entire film and Vanga estate. Sounds like we have a full-blown male-ego crisis on our hands. A woman rejected a deal, and misogyny couldn't handle a woman's 'no'," she wrote.

Deepika's like on the post has since drawn attention online, with many interpreting it as a subtle indication of support for the criticism. However, the actress has not directly addressed Pranay's allegations or publicly commented on the fresh controversy.

What did Pranay Reddy Vanga say?

Pranay, as quoted by Hindustan Times, said the reasons for the disagreement included remuneration and working hours, along with other factors.

"The reason is the same as what was already mentioned. One was remuneration, the second was timing. Apart from that, there are some other reasons too," he said.

He added that Deepika was free to make any demand, but the filmmakers had to consider whether the film's economics could accommodate it.

"See, she can ask for anything. If we are willing to give, we can give. But the economics [budget] should also work out for us," Pranay said.

According to him, the makers eventually decided to explore other options, after which details of the negotiations allegedly began emerging publicly.

"We thought that it was not working. This is why we thought of other options. Once we started looking for other options, they started leaking everything," he added.

What happened between Deepika and Spirit makers?

Deepika was initially set to star opposite Prabhas in Spirit, but she exited the project in 2025. Triptii Dimri was subsequently brought in as the female lead.

At the time, reports linked Deepika's departure to disagreements over working hours, remuneration and other contractual conditions.

The reported eight-hour workday became one of the biggest talking points surrounding her exit, sparking a wider Bollywood debate over actors' working hours and work-life balance.

Deepika's reported demand for fixed shooting hours also brought renewed attention to working conditions in the Indian film industry.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga's cryptic post

The controversy took another turn when Sandeep Reddy Vanga, whose Animal emerged as a major box-office success in 2023, shared a cryptic post on X that many social media users interpreted as being directed at Deepika.

In the post, Sandeep accused an unnamed person of breaching trust by allegedly leaking the film's storyline, engaging in "dirty PR games" and putting down young actress Triptii Dimri.

However, the post did not explicitly name Deepika.

Deepika speaks about industry work culture

Deepika later broke her silence on the broader controversy, raising concerns over what she described as bias in the Indian film industry towards male actors.

Speaking to CNBC-TV18, she described the industry's work culture as "brutal" and said she intended to bring about changes in the system.

The latest comments from Pranay have now brought the Spirit controversy back into the spotlight, with the dispute once again raising questions over remuneration, profit-sharing, working hours and the power dynamics between actors and filmmakers.