Deepika Padukone may be one of the highest-paid actors in the country today, but she has consistently spoken out about gender-based pay disparity in the film industry. Amid speculation surrounding her reported exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit, an old interview of the actress has resurfaced, where she openly discusses turning down a film due to unequal pay.
Although Deepika has not officially confirmed or commented on her departure from Spirit, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga appeared to address the matter in a cryptic but strongly worded post on social media platform X. Without naming anyone, he expressed his disappointment at an unnamed actress, accusing her of “putting down a younger actor” and leaking details about the film.
“When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA between us… Putting down a younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for?” he wrote. He further added, “You didn’t get it. You won’t get it. You will never get it.”
According to reports, Deepika was initially cast opposite Prabhas in Spirit. However, Triptii Dimri — who gained attention for her performance in Vanga’s Animal— is now said to be replacing her. Reports also claim Deepika was offered ₹20 crore for the role, the highest fee of her career so far, even surpassing recent quotes for her husband Ranveer Singh.
In the resurfaced NDTV interview, Deepika recalled walking away from a film project because the director could not meet her fee demand, even though she liked the script.
She said, “When I quoted my price, the director said he couldn’t afford it because he had to pay the male actor’s fee. So I said, ok then, tata goodbye, because I know my track record. I know what I am worth.”
Deepika added that it was not about ego, but principle. “At the end of the day, I didn’t want to sleep at night knowing I had an equal creative contribution but was underpaid. I was not okay with that.”
Deepika’s remarks have drawn attention online, with many praising her for standing her ground and while other crticised her. A user wrote: “Track record is a biggest joke. Pls don’t dare to mess with Vanga. He is a masterpiece.”
Another wrote : “This clearly shows you are not passionate about cinema, you are more into money.”
A third user said: “Wise decision.”
On the work front, Deepika was last seen in Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again, which featured an ensemble cast including Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, and Akshay Kumar. She also starred in the Telugu sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD alongside Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan. A sequel to the film is reportedly planned for 2026.
