May 28, 2025: As Deepika Padukone maintains silence following her exit from Spirit, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s cryptic post ignites debate over gender politics and professionalism in Bollywood. The fallout stems from Deepika’s rumoured exit from Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit, and has quickly escalated into a wider public debate over professionalism, gender politics, and cinematic egos.
Without naming her directly, Vanga took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night to vent frustration over what he suggests was a breach of trust and confidentiality. “When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith… But by doing this, you’ve ‘DISCLOSED’ the person that you are,” he wrote, accusing a former collaborator of betraying a tacit non-disclosure agreement and “putting down a younger actor.” What caught most users off-guard was his aggressive pivot into questioning what feminism means, suggesting it was being misused in the industry.
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Here is the Sandeep vanga tweet
Though Deepika has not responded to the allegations or insinuations directly, her poised appearance at an event in Stockholm the following day sent a powerful unspoken message. Speaking to a vogue lifestyle magazine in Arabia, she said, “Whenever I’m faced with complicated situations, I listen to my inner voice and make decisions that give me peace. That is when I feel most in equilibrium.”
Her words, delivered far from the noise of Indian tabloids, were instantly read by fans and observers as a subtle clapback to the controversy. The internet quickly polarized, with many condemning Vanga’s remarks as tone-deaf and emotionally reactive.
“Ego bruised, now hiding behind feminism slander,” one user posted. Another quipped, “Writes an essay and still claims not to care. Classic.”
Others highlighted what they see as a deeper issue, the contradiction between Vanga’s cinematic themes and his real-world takes. “Your films glorify toxic masculinity and emotional abuse. You should be the last person questioning anyone’s feminism,” one tweet read, pointing toward Kabir Singh and Animal, two of Vanga’s past works that have drawn criticism for portraying male rage as passion.
Meanwhile, the fate of Spirit, the action drama originally set to star Prabhas alongside Deepika, remains uncertain on the casting front. Triptii Dimri has reportedly stepped in for her second collaboration with Vanga following Animal. The film, backed by Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series and Bhadrakali Pictures, is in pre-production and promises an intense cop saga, but the off-screen tensions may now overshadow its early hype.
While Vanga’s post ends with a shrug — “Agli baar poori kahani bolna… kyunki mujhe jarra bhi farak nahi padtha” (Next time, tell the whole story… because I don’t care at all), the lengthy tirade, hashtagged with #PRGames, suggests otherwise.
In contrast, Deepika’s steady silence — and calm philosophical remarks from halfway across the globe, have been interpreted by many as the quieter, stronger statement.