Deepika Padukone Talks About Collaborating With People She'll 'Enjoy Working With' Amid Spirit Controversy: 'I Listen To My Gut' (VIDEO)

Amid ongoing controversy surrounding her exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit, actress Deepika Padukone made a striking public appearance on Tuesday (May 27) as she walked the red carpet at a Cartier event in Stockholm. The actor, who is the brand's global ambassador, looked radiant and composed in a dramatic red outfit.

Deepika's appearance comes at a time when her departure from Spirit, opposite Prabhas, has triggered a wave of speculation. Several reports claim that Deepika was dropped from the project due to her 'unprofessional' demands, including a reported fee of over Rs 20 crore and shorter working hours to accommodate her new role as a mother. These demands reportedly clashed with the filmmaker’s vision and work schedule, ultimately leading to her exit.

Though Deepika has refrained from commenting directly on the controversy, her latest remarks during an interview with Vogue Arabia at the Cartier event have caught fans' attention. Speaking about her personal philosophy, she said, "I think what keeps me balanced is just being truthful, being authentic."

The actress added, "And whenever I am faced with complicated situations or difficult situations, to be able to listen to my inner voice and just make decisions, stand by decisions that really give me peace. That is when I feel most in equilibrium."

A video of the interview has surfaced on social media, with many fans interpreting her words as a subtle response to the Spirit controversy.

Further opening up about balancing personal and professional life, Deepika said, "I just listen to my gut, to what feels right. I think it's easier said than done but I think it's when you shut out the noise around you and just listen to your gut. I think the answers are always there. Wanting to collaborate with people I know I'm going to have a good time working with, surrounding myself with family and friends, and being authentic is how I feel I'm able to find my balance."

"Wanting to collaborate with people that I know I'm gonna have good time working with .."

- Deepika Padukone 👑 pic.twitter.com/BOZf7HQRhu

— 🙃 (@uffyehgehraiyaa) May 28, 2025

Meanwhile, Vanga has officially confirmed that actress Triptii Dimri will be stepping into the lead role opposite Prabhas. The announcement has further fueled speculation about what led to Deepika's sudden departure.

A couple of days back, Vanga also seemingly slammed Deepika for putting a younger actor down. Just a couple of hours after the reports about Deepika's exit due to 'bold' scenes in the film surfaced, the director took to his official X account and criticised the 'dirty PR games' of the person he took a dig at.

Without naming anyone or giving any context, he wrote, "When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, You've 'DISCLOSED' the person that you are."

When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA(Non Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, You've 'DISCLOSED' the person that you are....
Putting down a Younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for ? As a…

— Sandeep Reddy Vanga (@imvangasandeep) May 26, 2025

The director further mentioned, "Putting down a younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for? As a filmmaker, I put years of hard work behind my craft & for me, filmmaking is everything. You didn't get it. You won't get it. You will never get it. Aisa karo.... Agli baar poori kahani bolna... kyunki mujhe jarra bhi farak nahi padtha. #dirtyPRgames. I like this kahawath very much :-) खुंदक में बिल्ली खंबा नोचे."

Soon after Vanga shared the post, a section of X users backed his vision, however, others defended Deepika's right to negotiate. Neither Deepika not her team has reacted to the controversy yet.