3 minutes of readingUpdated: February 9, 2026 02:29 pm IST
Veteran actor Prakash Raj continues to be an important part of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming action drama Spirit, starring Prabhas in the lead role. Since Sunday, there have been rumors and reports circulating online that he was kicked out of the much-awaited film over an argument with the director. However, The actor has now denied that there is any truth to this.
“Some nonsense speculation. I’m not aware,” Prakash Raj told SCREEN. He will still be seen in a key role alongside Prabhas, Triptii Dimri, Vivek Oberoi and other cast members in Spirit. It is co-produced by Vanga’s Bhadrakali Pictures and Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series in their first collaboration after the hit 2023 family crime drama Animal, starring Ranbir Kapoor.
The actor also took advantage
To all the toxic #fakenews street vendors… In #Spirit the movie. We haven’t even started filming my scenes… and you, the WhatsApp factories, are speculating stories. Grow up and have a life 😂😂😂😂. #justasking
—Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) February 9, 2026
Last year, Spirit made headlines after Deepika Padukone’s controversial exit from the film. Before the film was released, he had a disagreement with the filmmakers about shooting more than eight hours a day. She wanted to maintain a work-life balance, especially after the birth of her and husband Ranveer Singh’s daughter Dua Padukone the previous year.
After Padukone was replaced by Triptii, who had her breakthrough with a key role in Vanga’s Animal, the filmmaker took to X to criticize Padukone for spreading misinformation and maligning a younger actor like Triptii. However, in the tweet he only alluded to Padukone, without naming her, stating that she is playing “dirty PR games.”
Padukone later opened up about the controversy and stated that top male stars in Hindi cinema have been working less than eight hours for years, without any objection. “I am definitely advocating for a better work-life balance, a better work environment and better working conditions, and if that doesn’t work for someone, we are not obligated to work together,” he told Brut India.
Spirit is scheduled to be released in theaters on March 5, 2027.