Soon after the release of Baahubali: The Beginning, producer Shobu Yarlagadda claimed that the character of Sivagami was first offered to Sridevi but her alleged unhinged demands made the team opt for Ramya Krishna. As per him (remarks that SS Rajamouli later reiterated), Sridevi demanded a whole floor at a five star hotel for herself and her entourage. Besides, the remuneration was upwards of Rs 10 Cr.
As per Boney Kappor, most of the demands attributed to Sridevi were never made. Negotiations happened in the absence of Rajamouli. Only Shobu, Boney and Sridevi alone participated in the discussion. "Shobu Yarlagadda told lies to Rajamouli about what transpired during the discussion. No such demands were made by us. Also, the salary on offer was less than what Sridevi was paid for English Vinglish," Boney said.
Sridevi, during MOM promotions in 2017, said that she never made unrealistic demands.
