Sandeep Reddy Vanga vs Deepika Padukone: Script leak sparks ugly fallout over Spirit

Of late, filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga's upcoming film Spirit has been grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons. It all started when it was widely reported that Deepika Padukone had been cast opposite Prabhas. However, several media outlets later claimed that Deepika opted out of the film due to unmet demands. Reportedly, she wanted to limit her shooting schedule to six hours a day, citing her motherhood responsibilities.

It was further reported that she allegedly demanded a hefty fee of Rs 20 crores along with a share in the film's profits and refused to deliver dialogues in Telugu.

Things turned murkier when reports suggested that Deepika exited the project due to discomfort with performing bold, intimate scenes and 'A-rated content' with Prabhas.

Deepika Padukone vs Sandeep Reddy Vanga

According to a report by Pinkvilla, both Prabhas and Triptii Dimri were informed in advance about the requirement to shoot erotic scenes, which they agreed to. Following the wave of speculation and leaks, Sandeep Reddy Vanga strongly criticised several media outlets as well as targeted Deepika Padukone for allegedly leaking confidential details from the script.

Taking to Twitter, formerly X, Sandeep Vanga Reddy wrote, "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 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. Aisa karo.... Agli baar poori kahani bolna... kyunki mujhe jarra bhi farak nahi padtha. #dirtyPRgames I like this kahawath very much :-) खुंदक में बिल्ली खंबा नोचे !"

Netizens were of the view that Sandeep's tweet was clearly aimed at Deepika.

One internet user even described the controversy as "fake feminism vs. toxic misogynist."

Fans called out Deepika for her sly PR game.

A user wrote, "Finally, Deepika's ugly pr game has met its match in Vanga. She leaked the bold scenes bit to get Tripti hate and save herself from criticism for leaving but Vanga won't have it.."

Another mentioned, "If dp can dish out, why not dish out against prabhas or vanga ? Problem is with them. Why against tripti ? A newer & younger actress. All the feminism gyan she gives is only when she needs support but won't take a minute to pull down another woman."

The third one mentioned, "Does anyone else feel like Tripti is being slut shamed a LOT? It could be any article or comment about her, and somehow people would connect it to her being a 'bold' 'A-rated actress."

Triptii Dimri: Blue-eyed actress for B-town directors and producers 

As of now, Triptii Dimri is considered one of B-town's favourite actresses. She rose to fame after her performance in Animal (2023), earning widespread appreciation for her bold scenes. However, this newfound popularity didn't translate into more projects. Reportedly, she was dropped from Kartik Aaryan's upcoming romantic film, with sources claiming she was replaced for being "too bold" and exposing too much on screen.

Now, Sreeleela has stepped into the role alongside Kartik Aaryan, as of now few schedules of the film have already been completed.