Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar has defended Deepika Padukone amidst reports of her exiting two major films over working hour demands. Sircar emphasized the importance of respecting individual boundaries, calling Padukone a “brilliant” professional. This comes after Padukone was reportedly replaced in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Spirit’ and exited ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ due to ‘commitment issues’.
After Deepika Padukone was replaced by Triptii Dimri in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit over alleged working hours, she also exited from Kalki Part 2. The makers of the latter cited ‘commitment issues’ in their official statement, questioning the professionalism of the actress. Now, filmmaker Shoojit Sircar has reacted to the whole matter. He not only supported Deepika but also emphasised ‘respecting boundaries’.
Shoojit Sircar defends Deepika
In conversation with DNA, Shoojit said, “”I respect every individual’s subjective decisions for what they do. I respect what…I don’t know what the whole story is all about.”When it was mentioned that she was dropped from two major films—Spirit and Kalki Part 2—over her demands, such as limited working hours, the director of Sardar Udham responded, “That’s fine, an individual’s boundaries should be respected. I fully respect that, and I do.”Shoojit Sircar, who worked with Deepika Padukone in the hit Piku, was asked about her professionalism. The director immediately replied, “Brilliant. She’s just brilliant as a professional actor. She’s brilliant.”
Deepika featured on IMDb list
Following the controversy, Deepika Padukone was featured in IMDb’s special list, ranking 4th among actors with the most popular titles in 25 years of Indian cinema (2000–2025). Speaking about it, she said, “From the very beginning, I was never afraid to ask questions, ruffle feathers, take a difficult path, and challenge the status quo to reshape the mould we’ve all been expected to fit into.”
Triptii Dimri gesture for Deepika Padukone
Recently, Triptii showed support for the Pathaan star by liking a social media reel highlighting negative PR and false narratives against her. In a video on reddit, celebrity saree draper Dolly Jain recalled how Deepika performed the iconic ‘Nagada Sang Dhol’ song from Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela barefoot, despite bleeding and swollen feet from the heavy 30 kg lehenga and intense choreography.Fans were quick to react to her gesture. A user commented, ‘That is so sweet of her! Love to see her support Deepika. People love to pit them against each other especially after Spirit fiasco but they are both professional and people need to get a life.’On the work front, Deepika will next be seen in Atlee’s next with Allu Arjun. Apart from this, she is also a part of Shah Rukh Khan’s King. It also stars Suhana Khan, Rani Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan among others. Go to Source
