Sandeep Reddy Vanga-Deepika Padukone to Kareena Kapoor-Sanjay Leela Bhansali: A look at 5 controversial director-actor fallouts

However, this is not the first time when a movie made so much noise amid its production.

Parineeti Chopra-Sandeep Reddy Vanga

When Sandeep Reddy Vanga announced his dream project, Animal, he shared Ranbir Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra will be playing the lead roles. Later, the actress opted out of the project. Her team cited scheduling conflict as the reason behind her absence from the film. They shared the Hasee Toh Phasee actress wanted to star in Imtiaz Ali’s Chamkila, which was scheduled for the same time.

Speaking about her decision to opt out of the controversial film, Parineeti Chopra told on Aap Ki Adalat, “To be honest, God was on my side. I was all set to do Animal, everything had worked out, but for the same dates as Animal, I received an offer to do Imtiaz Ali’s Chamkila. I was getting a meaty role, I had so many songs, I got to sing for (AR) Rahman sir and Imtiaz Ali was my dream director, so I had to choose it over Animal. And the kind of love, respect and recognition I have received for Chamkila, I don’t think I regret my decision at all.”

However, when Sandeep Reddy Vanga spoke about his decision to not keep Parineeti in the film, he had a completely different story to share. Speaking with Komal Nahta, the filmmaker said, “It was my fault. I even apologised to her. I had signed her about a year before starting the shoot for the film. For some reason, I didn’t see Geetanjali in her. I don’t believe in audition, but go with my instinct. However, my instinct in case of Parineeti went wrong. So I told her, ‘Sorry, nothing is bigger than the film, I am going ahead with some other artist.’ She felt bad, but she understood.”

Kareena Kapoor-Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Back in 2002, Kareena Kapoor was first cast as Paro in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas. However, his last minute decision to cast Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made things ugly for the actor-director duo.

In an interview with Filmfare, a frustrated Kareena shared, “What he did to me was wrong. He screen-tested me for Devdas, gave me a signing amount, then took someone else. That was wrong, it hurt especially because I was at the start of my career. It’s okay, because the day he dropped me, I signed Yaadein. Sanjay hurt me. Even if I have no work, I’ll never work with him.”

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Same year, SLB reacted to Kareena’s accusations and told Filmfare, “She came to my house with Neeta Lulla and said she wanted to work with me. We fixed up a photo-shoot with the right costumes. Since Babitaji and Karisma Kapoor were also at the shoot, I made it clear to all of them that the shoot wasn’t a confirmation that I would cast Kareena. They were okay with that at the time. After going through the photographs, I told Kareena that I felt Aishwarya Rai was fabulous and perfect for Paro; she has the aristocratic looks I required. Kareena didn’t say a word then but some days later I found her lashing out at me in print. She accused me of backing out after having given her the signing amount and contract. Believe me, this is not true.”

The two, however, patched up at Sikander Kher’s birthday party after Kirron Kher played mediator.

Karan Johar-Kartik Aaryan

Kartik Aaryan, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Janhvi Kapoor were all set to star together in Karan Johar’s Dostana 2. However, mid shoot in 2021, Dharma Productions released a statement against Kartik and stopped filming. Their statement read, “Due to professional circumstances, on which we have decided to maintain dignified silence – we will be recasting Dostana 2, directed by Collin D’Cunha. Please wait for the official announcement soon.”

Later, in an interview with The Indian Express, Kartik Aaryan shared, “What happens, at times, is people make ‘baat ka batangad’. There is nothing more to it. No one has so much time. Everybody just wants to work, do good work. Other than that, things are just rumours.”

However, two years later, they put an end to their feud when Karan Johar announced a new film with Kartik Aaryan. The untitled film, directed by Sandeep Modi, is scheduled for a 2025 release.

Bobby Deol-Imtiaz Ali

Jab We Met, which today enjoys a cult following, was first decided to be made with Bobby Deol and not Shahid Kapoor. However, things didn’t unfold the way it should have, eventually the team recasting and bringing Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor on board.

Speaking about this change, Imitaz Ali told in an interview with Lallantop, “I was planning to make Jab We Met with Bobby Deol. I was eagerly waiting to start the shoot of the film, but he was constantly receiving film offers with bigger directors. So he put Jab We Met on hold. After waiting for so long, eventually a time came when I thought, ‘If we go ahead with this project, things between Bobby and I will not be the same’. After spending five years on Socha Na Tha, I waited for two more years and eventually told Bobby, ‘Let’s not make this film.’ We shook hands on it and dropped the idea of making the film together.’

However, Bobby Deol had a very different version to share. “I was also to do Jab We Met. Back then, it was titled Geet. I had seen Socha Na Tha and instantly reached out to Imtiaz saying that he’s an incredible storyteller with a terrific future. I told him I wanted to work with him and he had the script of Jab We Met ready. He was looking for financiers.”

Bobby claimed to convince Ashtavinayak to fund the film. He shared, “Suddenly, I read that Astavinayak has signed Imtiaz for Jab We Met and Kareena is doing the film and she has gotten her then boyfriend, Shahid Kapoor to act opposite her. I was like, wow. Quite an industry.'”

Rishab Shetty-Rashmika Mandanna

Unlike the above mentioned actor-director duos, the feud between Rishab Shetty and Rashmika Mandanna started after the actress ignored to name the production house, Paramvah Studios, that launched her. Rishab’s anger was evident when he shared a post on X celebrating eight years of Kirik Party, a film that shot both Rishab and Rashmika to fame. While he mentioned all the important members of the film, he avoided mentioning Rashmika Mandanna, despite her playing the lead role in the Kannada college drama.

Later, the drama intensified, when Rashmika despite being born in Karnataka called Hyderabad her home. Speaking at an event in Mumbai, the actress shared, “Even though I am from Hyderabad, the affection shown towards me here makes me very happy.” This irked the Kannadigas who even demanded her ban in the industry.