Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, May 24: In a surprise casting twist that has taken the internet by storm, rising Bollywood actress Triptii Dimri has officially replaced Deepika Padukone as the female lead in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s much-anticipated pan-India film Spirit, starring South superstar Prabhas.
The announcement came directly from the filmmaker himself. Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, Vanga shared a succinct yet striking post: “The female lead for my film is now official :-)”. Soon after, Triptii Dimri took to Instagram and wrote, “Still sinking in…. ?? So grateful to be trusted with this journey ???? Thank you @sandeepreddy.vanga ..honoured to be a part of your vision.”
The news has electrified fans online, many of whom flooded social media with celebratory comments. From “Welcome to RebelWood” to “This is huge,” the internet erupted in cheers for the Qala actress. One user exclaimed, “I’m screaming,” while another quipped, “Deepika out, Triptii in!!! Vanga trusts her too much.” The post shared by Triptii also featured her name written in several languages including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Chinese, and Japanese — strongly indicating the film’s global and multi-lingual release strategy.
Initially, Deepika Padukone was in talks to star opposite Prabhas. However, as per industry sources cited by Bollywood Hungama, the actress reportedly had reservations about shooting schedules and was unwilling to work beyond six hours per day, leading to a fallout with the makers.
Spirit will be Triptii’s second collaboration with director Sandeep Reddy Vanga after her role in Animal, and her first film alongside Prabhas, making this a significant leap in her career.
The big-budget action drama is set to commence filming in 2025 and is already being positioned as one of the most awaited films in Indian cinema.
Meanwhile, Prabhas, who was last seen in the futuristic epic Kalki 2898 AD, is gearing up for the release of his next venture The Raja Saab, directed by Maruthi.
With Triptii stepping into the limelight opposite one of India’s biggest stars and under the helm of a blockbuster director, all eyes are now on Spirit — a film that promises high-octane drama, passion, and pan-Indian appeal.