Recently, Bollywood Hungama reported that Sandeep Reddy Vanga had a massive fallout with Deepika Padukone, with the latter walking out of the former’s film Spirit. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “Sandeep Reddy Vanga got the shock of his life when Deepika Padukone refused to shoot for more than 6 hours a day for Spirit. That’s not all, the actress, via her agency, also started to demand an amendment to the contract. Their point of contention was simple – if the shoot extends beyond 100 days, Deepika will have to be paid extra for every single day of shoot beyond the commitment on paper.” Interestingly, this is not the first time that Deepika Padukone has been in this situation. 13 years ago, she walked out of Race 2 (2013) after shooting the film for around 6 days. Producer Ramesh Taurani had publicly lashed out at the actress and had labelled her behaviour as ‘unethical, unprofessional and unacceptable’.
THROWBACK – Spirit controversy brings back memories of Deepika Padukone’s SHOCKING walkout from Race 2 and Ramesh Taurani’s EXPLOSIVE accusations: “I am deeply saddened by this UNPROFESSIONAL behaviour”
In an interview with Mumbai Mirror in February 2012, a livid Ramesh Taurani said, “I have been a part of the Hindi cinema industry for 25 years. I have made several blockbusters. I have worked with famous actresses like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, Vidya Balan and Kareena Kapoor. But I have never faced a situation like this before.”
Ramesh Taurani continued, “Earlier, in October (2011), we had to change our schedule since Deepika had date problems. This was due to her film with Ayan Mukerji to be produced by Karan Johar (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani; 2013). At the time, I had spoken to Karan and worked out a schedule that would help Deepika manage both projects. Now, when everything is in place, she just walks out after six days of shoot. What can I say? We are left with no choice. Our directors and the other actors are extremely annoyed with her.”
He added, “She gave us 90 days – fifteen days in February, 45 days in May-June and 20 days in July. We had assured her that we wouldn’t waste any of her dates.”
Then, on January 27, 2012, Ramesh Taurani got a shock. He continued, “People kept calling me asking whether Deepika was out of Race 2. I was clueless. I called her and asked her. She simply said that she would come to my office by 5 pm with her new manager to work out everything. At around 3 pm, she called to say that she wouldn’t be able to keep the appointment. However, her manager would be present on her behalf. Finally, when the manager arrived, he simply told me that Deepika wouldn’t be able to do our film. And that’s because she is doing a major Hollywood project. Now imagine!”
Ramesh Taurani then stated, “I went to Kurla where she was shooting. We tried to reason it out with her. But she refused to even listen. Forget about anything else, she did not even apologise for her actions. She seems to have no remorse.”
The same Mumbai Mirror article also carried a statement by a close friend of Deepika Padukone who said, “Constant delays are the reason Deepika can’t do Race 2. When the first delay happened, she adjusted her dates and shot for two days. But then again, she was informed that the dates were being changed. She would have liked to do the film but she couldn’t accommodate the new set of dates. She has conveyed her apologies to Ramesh Taurani. She had liked the script but unfortunately is not able to juggle her dates any longer.”
In an interview with The Times of India 6 days later, the producer said, “I had no choice but to file a complaint against her in the AMPTPP and CINTAA. I am deeply saddened by this unprofessional behaviour.”
After the matter reached these organizations, Deepika Padukone met Ramesh Taurani and decided to return to Race 2. As per Mumbai Mirror, she laid down five conditions – she will not allot fresh dates for Race 2, she requested Ramesh Taurani directors Abbas-Mustan to not work with middlemen while communicating with her, she’ll select her designers, hair stylist and makeup artist, she should be consulted over the release of the film to avoid misunderstandings during the promotional phase and lastly, she should be informed a month in advance in case of a foreign schedule. Reportedly, the makers accepted these demands and this is how Race 2’s shoot was resumed.
This recent fallout between Deepika Padukone and Sandeep Reddy Vanga has inevitably reignited memories of the Race 2 episode. While the circumstances differ, the underlying friction over scheduling and contractual clarity feel familiar. Over the years, Deepika has evolved into one of the most sought-after and dependable names in the industry, known for her craft and professionalism. Yet, this latest controversy serves as a reminder that even significant collaborations are not immune to creative and logistical clashes.
More Pages: Spirit Box Office Collection , Spirit Movie Review
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