After Spirit, Deepika Padukone 'ousted' from Kalki Part 2 due to work-hour disagreements? Here's what we know

Deepika Padukone has recently made headlines for her fallout with Animal director Sandeep Reddy Vanga over his upcoming film Spirit. The Pathaan actress was dropped from Prabhas-starrer due to her disagreements with Sandeep, and what followed was Vanga's public outburst on social media. 

Now, as per the latest reports, the makers of Kalki Part 2 might also reconsider Deepika's role amid her controversy. One of the reasons why Deepika was removed from Spirit was that she was reportedly not ready to work beyond 6 hours. Team Kalki is also facing a similar facade, and they might also consider either replacing or shortening her role. As an Instagram page, Bollywood.mobi, reported, Deepika Padukone’s demand for shorter work hours post-motherhood is reportedly causing “friction on sets". However, there is no official confirmation regarding this as of now.

Earlier reports said that Deepika Padukone was removed from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film Spirit. Sources claimed she had asked for an eight-hour workday, a high salary, and a share in the film's profits—requests that reportedly didn’t go down well with the director. As a new mother, Deepika is said to be trying to balance work and personal life by limiting her work hours.

Director Vanga later reacted strongly on the social media platform X, accusing Deepika of playing what he called “dirty PR games.” He wrote, “When I share a story with an actor, I do it with full trust. There's an unspoken agreement to keep things private. But by leaking this, you've shown your true colours. Are you really standing up for feminism by bringing down a younger actress and rejecting my story?”

He added, “Filmmaking means everything to me. I’ve spent years building this project. You didn’t understand it—and you never will.” He ended his post by saying sarcastically, “Next time, just tell the whole story. I honestly don’t care. #dirtyPRgames. I like this saying—‘A cat scratches the pole when angry.’”

After Deepika’s departure, it was confirmed that Triptii Dimri would take on the lead female role. She had earlier worked with Vanga in Animal. Triptii announced the news by posting the title poster of Spirit in different Indian and international languages. She wrote, “Still taking it all in… So thankful to be trusted with this role. Thank you @sandeepreddy.vanga. It’s an honour to be part of your vision.