Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga has publicly voiced his frustration following Deepika Padukone’s departure from his upcoming project Spirit, starring Prabhas. On Monday night, Vanga took to X (formerly Twitter) with a strongly worded post that, while not directly naming the actress, appeared to target her over recent developments surrounding the film.

In a cryptic message laced with pointed remarks, Vanga accused an unnamed actor of breaking an unwritten code of trust and revealing sensitive story details. "When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA between us," he wrote. "But by doing this, you’ve ‘DISCLOSED’ the person that you are… Putting down a younger actor and leaking my story? Is this what your feminism stands for?"

He continued, "As a filmmaker, I put years of hard work into my craft. For me, filmmaking is everything. You didn’t get it. You won’t get it. You will never get it."

Adding a sarcastic tone, Vanga wrote in Hindi, “Aisa karo… Agli baar poori kahani bolna… kyunki mujhe jara bhi farak nahi padta. #dirtyPRgames. I like this kahawat very much: 'Khundak mein billi khamba noche'.” (Translation: "Do this next time—just reveal the whole story, because I really don’t care. I like this saying: ‘In frustration, the cat scratches the pole.’")

Why Did Deepika Leave Spirit?

Reports about Deepika’s exit surfaced last week, with some sources suggesting that she was removed from the project due to a clash over work conditions. Allegedly, Padukone, who recently became a mother, requested a reduced work schedule, an eight-hour shoot cap per day, a sizable remuneration, and a share in the film's profits. These demands reportedly did not align with Vanga’s production requirements.

Spirit was meant to mark Deepika's second collaboration with Prabhas after their upcoming sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD.

Triptii Dimri Steps In

With Deepika out, the spotlight shifted to Animal breakout star Triptii Dimri, who was officially announced as the female lead in Spirit over the weekend. Taking to social media, Dimri shared a multilingual title poster featuring her name and expressed her excitement about joining the project. “Still sinking in… So grateful to be trusted with this journey. Thank you @sandeepreddy.vanga… Honoured to be a part of your vision,” she wrote.

As tensions continue to simmer behind the scenes, all eyes are now on Spirit, which is poised to be one of Vanga’s most ambitious ventures yet. Whether the controversy will impact the film's production or reception remains to be seen.