Before Deepika Padukone Vs Sandeep Reddy Vanga, SS Rajamouli Slammed Sridevi's 'Demands' | What Happened Next?

News movies bollywood Before Deepika Padukone Vs Sandeep Reddy Vanga, SS Rajamouli Slammed Sridevi's 'Demands' | What Happened Next?

Before Deepika Padukone Vs Sandeep Reddy Vanga, SS Rajamouli Slammed Sridevi's 'Demands' | What Happened Next?

Published By :

,

Last Updated: August 27, 2026, 10:04 IST

Like in Deepika Padukone's case, it was claimed that Sridevi also wanted to increase her salary.

Rapid Read

What Was Sridevi and Rajamouli's Feud About?

Deepika Padukone and Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s feud over Prabhas starrer Spirit intensified when producer Pranay Reddy Vanga claimed the actress demanded a share in the film’s profit, increased remuneration, and had scheduling issues, among other problems. Deepika Padukone later ‘liked’ an Instagram post calling the Vanga brothers misogynistic with fragile egos.

The Spirit exit feud has become one of the most talked-about rifts in the Indian entertainment industry today. However, before Deepika Padukone vs Sandeep Reddy Vanga, another Prabhas film saw a feud between a director and a mega-star actress. This feud was between SS Rajamouli and Sridevi over Baahubali casting.

What Were Sridevi’s ‘Demands’?

Rajamouli wanted to cast Sridevi as Shivagami in Baahubali. However, when this couldn’t happen, Rajamouli told NTV Telugu that Sridevi demanded an entire hotel floor to herself, Rs 8-10 crore as remuneration and 10 business-class flight tickets for her entourage. He even said that it was lucky for the film that Sridevi wasn’t a part of it.

Rajamouli Said Spending So Much On Sridevi Was ‘Not Worth It’

He said, “It was our good luck that she did not accept… Every time we booked 5 business-class tickets and luxury hotel suites." He said he requested the actress to deduct these costs from her remuneration, but she refused. The filmmaker said, “They asked for a percentage. It was going too much. It was not worth it." He even said that Sridevi was too subtle on screen and could not have pulled off the character well.

Sridevi Was Shocked, Hurt

Sridevi later denied these claims and told the channel, “I was shocked and hurt by his interview. Rajamouli is a calm and dignified person. I was very happy to work with him. But the way he spoke about the issue made me feel very sad… People would have sent me packing if I were like that. I don’t know if the producer wrongly told Rajamouli that I made all these demands, but it is not in good taste to speak like this."

Rajamouli Accepted His Mistake

Sridevi said she would not have been a star for over 5 decades if she had such demands. She added that since she married producer Boney Kapoor, she understood the problems a producer faces. She said these claims were “completely baseless". Later, Rajamouli expressed regret for discussing this matter publicly and told DNA, “I shouldn’t have discussed the details on a public platform. That’s a mistake, and I regret it."

Boney Kapoor Revealed Who Was The Real Culprit

Years after Sridevi’s death, Boney Kapoor revealed what really happened between the director and the actress. Boney revealed on Game Changers’ YouTube channel that Shobu Yarlagadda lied to Rajamouli about Sridevi’s remuneration. He said, “I think the producers never told Rajamouli about the offer they had made. They told him she wants the entire floor of the hotel; she wants a certain entourage."

Boney Revealed Sridevi’s ‘Only’ Demand

Boney said Sridevi was being treated like a struggler and added, “The only thing we wanted was for the big shoots to be scheduled when our children had holidays." One of Deepika Padukone’s demands as a new mom was a fixed 8-hour shift so she could focus on her child too. Like Sridevi’s case, it was also alleged that Deepika asked for increased remuneration.

While Rajamouli had expressed regret and resolved his feud with Sridevi, only time will tell if Deepika Padukone and Sandeep Reddy Vanga can reach such a conclusion. However, many social media users have pointed out that “demands" and remuneration only become controversial if a female is involved, while male stars get away with their asks.

News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit

Quick Answers Powered by Ask News18 Will Deepika Padukone and Sandeep Reddy Vanga resolve their feud? It is uncertain if Deepika Padukone and Sandeep Reddy Vanga will resolve their feud, as only time will tell if they can reach a conclusion similar to SS Rajamouli and Sridevi's resolved dispute. How do remuneration demands differ for male and female stars? Female stars' remuneration is often negotiated down by producers to cut budgets, even though a large portion of the budget goes to male actors. There is also a tendency to prioritise male actors' convenience on film sets. While male actors frequently negotiate for profit shares and schedules without controversy, similar demands from female stars can lead to uproar. Powered by Ask News18

About the Author Kashvi Raj Singh Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentar... Read More

First Published: August 27, 2026, 10:04 IST