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‘Is this your feminism?’: Sandeep Reddy Vanga targets Deepika without naming her

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga has seemingly accused Deepika Padukone of violating an “unsaid NDA” and undermining her replacement Triptii Dimri in his upcoming film Spirit.

Written by : TNM Staff

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga of Animal fame has seemingly taken a dig at actor Deepika Padukone after her exit from his upcoming film Spirit. In a fiery post on X, the director accused an unnamed actor — widely believed to be Deepika — of violating an “unsaid NDA,” disclosing parts of his film’s story, and allegedly belittling her replacement, Triptii Dimri.

“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?” Vanga wrote, directly questioning the actor’s feminist values. He further alleged that she was engaging in “dirty PR games” and advised her to “reveal the whole story” next time, adding that such actions wouldn’t affect him.

The statement comes after Triptii Dimri was officially announced as the new female lead in Spirit, starring Telugu actor Prabhas. While Deepika’s departure was never formally confirmed, reports suggest that creative and contractual disagreements led to her exit. 

According to Bollywood Hungama, Deepika had limited her work hours to six per day and requested additional compensation if the shoot exceeded 100 days – conditions that allegedly didn’t sit well with the makers.

Deepika has remained silent on the matter. She is yet to acknowledge Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s purported remarks against her.

Vanga’s attempt to frame Deepika’s exit as a betrayal has reignited criticism over his own legacy, a career marred by repeated misogynistic portrayals and inflammatory remarks. 

Sandeep rose to fame with Arjun Reddy (2017), which he later remade in Hindi as Kabir Singh (2019). Both films were heavily criticised for glorifying toxic masculinity and abusive relationships. In a now-infamous interview following the release of Kabir Singh, he defended the violence, saying, “If you can’t slap, if you can’t touch your woman wherever you want, then there is no emotion.”

The statement sparked massive backlash, with critics and feminists accusing him of normalising domestic abuse under the guise of passion. But Vanga remained defiant, calling his critics “pseudo-feminists” and saying they lacked the capacity to understand “true love.”

He doubled down his attack on feminists through Animal starring Ranbir Singh and Rashmika Mandanna. In one of the scenes, Ranvijay Singh Balbir (Ranbir Kapoor) asks Zoya Riaz (Tripti Dimri) to lick his shoes. This was heavily criticised by many including lyricist-writer Javed Akthar.