Deepika Padukone vs Sandeep Reddy Vanga: A timeline of their fallout over Prabhas’ Spirit

Bollywood was recently stirred by a very public and pointed controversy involving filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga and actress Deepika Padukone, following her exit from Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit, starring Prabhas. 

The issue escalated after Vanga dropped a cryptic post online, widely interpreted as a direct attack on Deepika, sparking backlash from her fans. Here's a detailed timeline of the events that led to the fallout:

Also Read: Will Prabhas break his no-kissing policy for Triptii Dimri in Vanga’s Spirit?

May 14, 2025: Deepika's Record-Breaking Fee for Spirit Revealed

Reports surfaced that Deepika Padukone was offered a staggering Rs 20 crore for her role in Spirit, which would have made it the highest paycheck of her career. Her inclusion in the film generated significant buzz, especially since it would have been her second collaboration with Prabhas after Kalki 2898 AD.

May 22, 2025: Reports Claim Deepika Is Removed from Spirit

A few days later, reports emerged that Deepika had been removed from the project by Vanga. Alleged reasons included her request for- a shorter (8-hour) workday, a high fee and a profit share in the film.

Sources claimed that these demands didn’t sit well with Vanga. As Deepika is a new mother, she was reportedly trying to balance work and family, but this resulted in her ousted from the film.

May 24, 2025: Triptii Dimri Confirmed as Deepika’s Replacement

Triptii Dimri, who previously worked with Vanga in Animal, officially announced that she would be playing the female lead in Spirit. Sharing a multilingual poster on social media, she wrote:

“Still sinking in… So grateful to be trusted with this journey. Thank you @sandeepreddy.vanga… Honoured to be a part of your vision."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Triptii Dimri (@tripti_dimri)

May 26, 2025: Sandeep Reddy Vanga Posts a Cryptic Tweet

Sandeep Reddy Vanga broke his silence in a cryptic but scathing tweet, which many interpreted as a direct dig at Deepika. While he didn’t mention her name, the post alluded to betrayal, violation of trust, and "dirty PR games" allegedly launched by her team.

The tweet read:

“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? … You didn’t get it. You won’t get it. You will never get it."

“Aisa karo… Agli baar poori kahani bolna… kyunki mujhe zara bhi farak nahi padta. #dirtyPRgames. I like this kahawat very much 🙂 खुंदक में बिल्ली खंबा नोचे!"

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 ? As a…

— Sandeep Reddy Vanga (@imvangasandeep) May 26, 2025

The line “Putting down a younger actor” is believed to be a reference to Triptii Dimri.

May 27, 2025: Deepika’s Fans Hit Back at Vanga Online

The filmmaker’s post triggered immediate backlash from Deepika’s fans. Many called out his tone, questioning why he chose to bring feminism into the discussion and accusing him of overreacting. Some notable reactions included:

“Farak nahi padta bolke itna lamba tweet likhdiya. What a crybaby.”

“You don’t get to question someone’s feminism just because she chose not to enable your idea of cinema.”

“Deepika doesn’t need to play in the mud to stay clean.”

Fans largely stood by the actress, stating that she had every right to prioritise her personal commitments and professional terms.

Also Read: Spirit: Triptii Dimri pockets her highest salary ever with Prabhas-led flick?

While Deepika has not officially responded to Vanga’s tweet, the episode has already taken over social media discussions and entertainment news. 

Meanwhile, ‘Spirit’ continues with Triptii Dimri and Prabhas in the lead. If everything goes well, the movie may be released in mid-2026.