Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Deepika Padukone
| Photo Credit: The Hindu/ Getty Images

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga has broken his silence following Deepika Padukone’s reported exit from his upcoming film Spirit, starring Prabhas. The director took to X on May 26, appearing to slam the actor in a cryptic post that accused her of playing “dirty PR games.”

The controversy began after reports claimed Deepika walked out of Spirit due to discomfort with the film’s A-rated scenes and demanding schedule. The timing raised eyebrows, as the reports surfaced just a day after Animal star Triptii Dimri was announced as the new female lead.

Though he didn’t name Padukone directly, Vanga claims the actor broke trust, but no evidence directly links her to the leak, and her identity remains unclear: “When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA between us. But by doing this, You’ve ‘DISCLOSED’ the person that you are.” He continued, “Putting down a younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for?”

The internet seems convinced that the ‘Animal’ and ‘Kabir Singh’ director is calling out Deepika for undermining both his creative vision and her replacement. “You didn’t get it. You won’t get it. You will never get it,” he added.

A report by Pinkvilla claimed Spirit would feature racy sequences, requiring an actor “comfortable with the material.” Meanwhile, Bollywood Hungama reported that disagreements over shoot hours and contract terms also led to friction.

Padukone’s team has not issued any statement. With production already delayed by her maternity leave and Prabhas’ injuries, the future of Spirit remains clouded in uncertainty.