Spirit Controversy Explained: From Deepika Padukone Demanding Fair Pay To Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Plot Leak Allegations

Sandeep Reddy Vanga's directorial Spirit has sparked controversy before going on floors. The movie, headlined by Prabhas, is one of the most anticipated films and is slated for a global release in 9 languages. Deepika Padukone was roped in to play the female lead on the project, but backed out of it after her demands were not met. This led to mud-slinging on social media and the filmmaker levelling serious allegations against her. Know all that led to the massive fallout.

A timeline from the Spirit announcement to the female lead confirmation

Following the blockbuster reception of Ranbir Kapoor's starrer Animal, Sandeep Reddy Vanga announced Spirit with Prabhas in the lead role. The film was initially scheduled to go on floors in January 2025 but was later pushed to June 2025 owing to Prabhas's injury. The movie is slated to be a cop actioner and is scheduled to hit the big screens in 2027. On May 24, Sandeep Reddy Vanga confirmed that Triptii Dimri will play the lead role in the project. The duo had collaborated before in Animal.

What has Deepika Padukone got to do with Spirit? 

Before Triptii Dimri, Deepika Padukone was roped in to play the female lead in Spirit. As per reports, Sandeep Reddy Vanga's talks with the actress went to advanced stages, with them almost locking the deal. However, Deepika Padukone pulled out of the pan-India actioner, paving the way for Triptii.

Also Read: Is Vanga Right? Another Crucial Plot Point From Spirit Leaked

Deepika Padukone's controversial exit from Spirit

Deepika Padukone quitting Spirit was not free from speculation and controversy. While the actress has never spoken about being associated with the project, several reports revealed the reason behind her distancing herself from the project. Multiple publications have claimed that Deepika demanded fair pay in the movie and wanted to revisit her paycheque. The new mother also wanted an 8-hour working day and was willing to commit only a specific number of days. Reports also suggested that Deepika refused to mouth dialogues in Telugu for the film. When the filmmaker did not agree with her conditions, the Piku star bowed out of the project.

Netizens begin to take sides 

As soon as the reports of Deepika Padukone's exit surfaced, social media users began to intervene. Fans of Deepika Padukone supported her decision and pointed out that Sandeep has a reputation for making ‘misogynistic’ movies, and the actress's association with such a film would not be welcomed. They also argued that none of the actress's demands were unreasonable and that the director should have agreed to them.

Vanga's advocates argued that the director has delivered back-to-back hits at the box office and has given Ranbir Kapoor the highest-grossing film of his career; thus, Deepika's association with the film would be a boost to her career. They also questioned Deepika's credibility for demanding equal pay as Prabhas, citing that she has not shouldered any film for the last few years.
 

Also Read:  Vanga Leaves Scathing Comment On Deepika's Post Amid Spirit Fallout

Major plot detail leaks 

Amid the ongoing controversy and after the announcement of Triptii Dimri as lead actress, reports of the Spirit plot began surfacing. Publications reported that Deepika decided to quit the film because of the intimate scenes in the film.

Sandeep Reddy Vangs makes serious allegations against Deepika Padukone 

Following the report, on May 26, Sandeep Reddy Vanga took to his X account to share a cryptic note condemning actors for employing ‘Dirty PR Games’ and breaching his trust. A part of his post read, “Putting down a Younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for?” 

More Spirit plot leaks follow 

Hours after Vanga's accusations, more leaks regarding the Spirit plot surfaced. Bollywood Hungama shared exclusive details about Triptii Dimri's character from the Prabhas starrer. This made social media users believe that Deepika Padukone, or her team, might be purposely leaking the plot details to sabotage the Sandeep Reddy Vanga film.

Also Read: Dirty PR Games: Sandeep Takes Veiled Dig At Deepika's Exit From Spirit

Despite the multiple developments, Deepika Padukone is yet to respond to the allegations.