Vanga’s Spirited post

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga has stirred speculation on social media with a fiery post that many believe targets an unnamed actress who was earlier part of his upcoming film, Spirit. Though he did not name anyone, many believe Vanga was referring to Deepika Padukone, who reportedly stepped away from the project.

In a post shared on his X handle, Vanga voiced frustration over a broken “unsaid NDA” and alleged betrayal of trust, and wrote, “When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100 per cent 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? 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,” he continued.

While the director did not confirm the identity of the actress in question, his reference to a female lead exiting Spirit, and being replaced by a “younger actor,” aligns with recent reports involving Deepika Padukone, who was initially cast opposite Prabhas in the film.

In March, rumours surfaced online alleging the plot of Spirit had been leaked, with some claiming similarities to the Tamil film Theri. However, the source of the leak remains unverified.

Shortly after Deepika’s departure, the film’s makers confirmed that actress Triptii Dimri would now play the female lead in Spirit.

Vanga wrote on Instagram, “The female lead for my film is now official” Triptii also took to social media and wrote, “Still sinking in... So grateful to be trusted with this journey. Thank you @sandeepreddy.vanga... Honoured to be a part of your vision.”