It could also just be plain old overengineering. Like using Django and leaning on all of the magic contained within it just to implement a simple API that could instead be a very small Flask or FastAPI app.
Unforeseen scope creep is the reason to utilise Django over Flask, I feel.
Also, you can pick and choose what to use in Django similarly to Flask - it just has a higher initial learning curve.
Once you get to sufficient levels of complicated, leaning on established, documented, community supported design patterns and abstractions helps vs. sorting out your imports, making bespoke design choices, and doing a bunch of non-core value producing work.
I will forever beat the Django over Flask drum. Nothing ever stays simple. Maybe today it is one single view function, but tomorrow someone is going to want to add authentication, emails, whatever. Django might have features you do not need, but it would be an unusual situation where Django is holding you back vs Flask.
