Sandeep Reddy Vanga lashes out at Deepika after the supposed ‘leak’ of his film Spirit’s story

The casting controversy had barely cooled when the plot thickened with an unexpected, explosive twist. On Monday night, a post on X from Sandeep Reddy Vanga set off a social media storm, accusing someone of “putting down a younger actor and ousting my story.” Though he did not name anyone, fans quickly connected the dots, pitting followers of Deepika Padukone against the directors’ in a rapidly escalating dispute.

Deepika–Vanga feud divides public opinionThe hashtag #DirtyPRGames trended as fans debated the timeline of the controversy. Observers pointed to contradictory reports published days apart — one announcing Deepika’s casting with glowing praise for the script, the next revealing her sudden exit and replacement. Sandeep’s supporters accused Deepika of leaking the film’s plot and allegedly disparaging Triptii, while Deepika’s fans slammed Vanga and the

Spirit

team for branding her stance “unprofessional.”

However, neither side has issued any formal statements about the controversy.

What happenedOn Monday, reports emerged suggesting Deepika Padukone had exited

Spirit

over creative differences and discomfort with the film’s bold scenes. Reportedly, she was uncomfortable with the nature of certain scenes and had expressed concerns during the narration itself, with some edits mutually agreed upon.This leak — which revealed story elements that had not yet been made public — appears to be what set off Vanga’s online outburst.

Later on Monday, an irate Sandeep Reddy Vanga took to X to strike back, claiming breach of trust, and defending Triptii Dimri against the growing backlash.Timeline of events

May 2

Reports announcing Deepika Padukone’s casting opposite Prabhas in

Spirit

emerge.

May 22

Speculation arises about a fallout between Deepika Padukone and director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, fueling rumors of her exit.

May 24

Triptii Dimri is officially announced as the female lead, replacing Deepika.

May 26