Deepika Padukone and Sandeep Reddy Vanga have been in the spotlight recently due to reports of a fallout over the Prabhas-starrer ‘Spirit’. It was said that Deepika was initially approached for the film, but things didn’t work out, and the role eventually went to Triptii Dimri.The situation took a dramatic turn on 28 May 2025, when director Sandeep Reddy Vanga posted a cryptic message on X (formerly Twitter). He 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 !”. The post sparked intense discussion online, with many speculating that it was aimed at Deepika, given the recent reports surrounding the film.While the tweet stirred debates around the film and professional ethics, here’s what Deepika had said about feminism last year. During the promotions of her film ‘Fighter’ in 2024, she was asked about her role in male-driven films like ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Singham Again’.At the time, she offered a thoughtful and witty answer, especially when mentioning her character, Shakti Shetty, in ‘Singham Again’. She highlighted how men and women need to work together and hinted that the traditional definition of feminism might need a refresh. She said, “But to complete my thought, you never anyway ever do anything alone. I don’t think women can succeed without men and men can’t succeed without women. I think we need to rephrase the definition of feminism,” she added.Deepika’s upcoming projectsOn the work front, Deepika Padukone may have stepped away from ‘Spirit’, but she has some big projects lined up. After welcoming her daughter Dua Padukone Singh with husband Ranveer Singh last year, as per reports, she is set to return in Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming film ‘King’, directed by Siddharth Anand, which also stars his daughter Suhana Khan. Deepika will also reunite with Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Kalki 2898 AD: Part 2’, the sequel to the 2024 sci-fi hit ‘Kalki 2898 AD’.
