Animal's Bhabhi 2 Triptii Dimri roped in for Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit; did she replace Deepika Padukone?
Triptii Dimri has joined Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit, marking the second official casting announcement for the Prabhas-led project
Following the seismic success of Animal in 2023, Vanga’s attention has been split between two massive ventures — Animal Park, a sequel starring Ranbir Kapoor, and Spirit, headlined by Prabhas. While Animal Park has generated considerable buzz due to theories about the first film’s cliffhanger ending, Spirit has flown under the radar. With only a teaser poster and cryptic online mentions to go by, concrete details about Spirit have been few and far between—until now.
Triptii breaks the silence
On May 23, Triptii Dimri took to Instagram to confirm her casting with a post that instantly got fans talking. The graphic displayed her name in multiple scripts, ending with the title Spirit and director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s name at the bottom. Her caption read, “Still sinking in…. 😍. So grateful to be trusted with this journey🙏🏻. Thank you @sandeepreddy.vanga ..honoured to be a part of your vision 😃.”
Additionally, Vanga also confirmed that Dimri would be the female lead on social media. “The female lead for my film is now official :-),” he captioned the post.
What happened to Deepika Padukone?
For months, rumours have circulated that Deepika Padukone was set to play the female lead. However, reports suggest that the collaboration may have hit a dead end. Allegedly, the actress had requested a capped 8-hour workday (with six hours for shoot), a fee of ₹20 crore, profit-sharing, and had concerns over delivering dialogues in Telugu — terms that reportedly made negotiations complicated.
Neither Vanga nor Padukone have confirmed these claims, leaving the situation open to interpretation. It’s also unclear whether Triptii has stepped in as a replacement or if she plays an entirely different character.
A perfect fit for Vanga’s vision?
Dimri, who rose to stardom with Qala (2022) and Animal, has emerged as a fan-favourite in recent years, especially for roles that balance vulnerability with quiet intensity. While Spirit still remains largely a mystery, Dimri’s casting marks the second official step toward bringing the Prabhas-led project to life. Fans can only hope that more details will follow soon — but for now, the hype is officially back on. As per reports, the film is slated for a 2027 release.
