Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga has stirred a social media storm after posting a sharply worded message, widely speculated to be aimed at Deepika Padukone. On Monday night, the director of Animal and Kabir Singh took to X to voice his frustration over an unnamed actress leaving his upcoming film Spirit, which features Prabhas in the lead role. The timing and context of his post have led fans to speculate that it was aimed at Deepika, who recently exited the project and was replaced by Triptii Dimri.
In his post, Sandeep Reddy Vanga accused the unnamed actress of breaching an “unsaid NDA” and questioned her integrity. “When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA(Non Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, You've 'DISCLOSED' the person that you are....Putting down a Younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for ?”
He continued in a fiery tone, “As a filmmaker, I put years of hard work behind my craft & for me, filmmaking is everything. You didn't get it. You won't get it. You will never get it. Aisa karo.... Agli baar poori kahani bolna... kyunki mujhe jarra bhi farak nahi padtha. #dirtyPRgames I like this kahawath very much-Khundak mein billi khamba noche.”
The controversy follows a recent report that claimed Spirit contains bold, high-intensity action scenes and required an actress who was “comfortable” with such material. The actress’s reported concerns with the script and scheduling demands may have influenced the decision to part ways.
Following Deepika’s reported exit, Triptii Dimri was swiftly brought on board as the new female lead. The actor, who gained widespread recognition for her performance in Animal, confirmed her casting on Instagram with a post that read, “Still sinking in… So grateful to be trusted with this journey. Thank you @sandeepreddy.vanga… Honoured to be a part of your vision.”