Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia has clarified rumors suggesting she supported Deepika Padukone in the ongoing controversy surrounding Padukone’s exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit. The speculation arose after netizens noticed Tamannaah had liked an Instagram reel highlighting issues faced by women in professional spaces, featuring a throwback clip of Padukone from a 2020 Chhapaak press conference. However, Tamannaah quickly took to social media to dismiss the claims, attributing the ‘like’ to an Instagram glitch.

Tamannaah Bhatia blames Instagram glitch for liking Deepika Padukone’s reel amid her feu
The controversy began when Deepika Padukone reportedly parted ways with Spirit, a high-profile project starring Prabhas, due to alleged disagreements over her demands for an eight-hour workday and additional compensation for extended shooting schedules. Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the director known for Animal and Kabir Singh, indirectly addressed the issue on X, accusing an unnamed actor of leaking the film’s storyline and playing “dirty PR games.” Many netizens linked his remarks to Padukone, sparking a heated online debate about workplace dynamics and gender expectations in the film industry.
The Instagram reel in question featured Padukone shutting down a reporter who assumed her husband, Ranveer Singh, had funded her film Chhapaak. With text overlay highlighting issues like “gender pay gap, unprofessionalism, and misogyny,” the video gained traction amid the Spirit controversy. Tamannaah’s ‘like’ on the post was interpreted by fans as a subtle show of solidarity with Padukone. However, Tamannaah addressed the speculation on her Instagram Stories, writing, “Can Instagram pls figure out how it likes pages on its own? Cause random ppl are making this news and I really have work to do,” accompanied by laughter emojis.