Deepika Padukone Left Film As Director Couldn't 'Afford' Her: 'Have To Accomodate The Male'
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Deepika Padukone was asked to lower her fee due to the male actor's high charge, even when his films weren't doing as well as her films.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga has reportedly removed Deepika Padukone from the Prabhas-starrer, Spirit. As fans were anticipating Deepika Padukone's collaboration with Sandeep Reddy Vanga, many Telugu outlets claimed that she is no longer a part of the project due to clashes over her demands. Amid this, the actress's fans have come to her defence, and her old video has resurfaced on social media. In the video, Deepika spoke about how she has bridged the pay gap between her and her male co-stars by demanding appropriate remuneration.
Deepika said in the video, 'For myself, I think I have been able to bridge that gap in terms of what my male contemporaries are getting versus what I'm getting paid. There was a recent incident when a director offered us a film… Creatively, I liked it. Then it came to talking about the monies."
Exactly! Six years since that iconic statement and Deepika Padukone is still out here holding the damn line for herself and every woman who's ever been told to 'adjust" for the sake of a male-led project. https://t.co/v1ZbyHUjdW pic.twitter.com/2WBgHwrl75 — Dua Padukone (@Duapadukone) May 21, 2025
She continued, 'I said, 'Okay, this is what I would charge.' It kind of went back and forth where he came back and said, 'You know, actually, we won't be able to afford this because we have to accommodate the male, you know.' I said okay, then, goodbye, because I know my track record. I know what I'm worth. I know that his films haven't been doing as well as my films have been doing."
'It made absolutely no sense. So, I was okay to say no to that film based on that one thing because I just thought it was unfair. I am ready today to take those steps or measures for myself because I'm going to be able to sleep peacefully at night. I don't think I'd be able to live with that sort of thought, knowing that I've been a part of a film, had the same sort of creative contribution or bringing the same sort of value to a film, but being underpaid. I was not okay with that," the actress concluded.
While the video is from an event held six years ago, it is going viral in light of reports that Deepika has been removed from Spirit because of her demands. According to multiple Telugu outlets, including Gulte and GreatAndhra.com, Deepika allegedly requested an 8-hour workday, which reportedly translates to just about 6 hours of actual shoot time. Things escalated further when the actress is said to have demanded a hefty remuneration along with a percentage of the film's profits. Additionally, insiders claim she refused to deliver her dialogues in Telugu. The reports further add that Deepika was set to receive her biggest paycheck to date for Spirit, quoting an alleged Rs 20 crore fee.
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