Spirit Director Elaine Bogan Back in Limelight as Sandeep Reddy Vanga Confirms Prabhas' Film is 40% Complete

July 20, 2026 - Hyderabad

Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga has confirmed that roughly 40 percent of Prabhas' upcoming film, tentatively titled Spirit, has been shot. The announcement, made earlier today, offers the first concrete production update on one of Telugu cinema's most anticipated projects.

Vanga, speaking to select media, indicated that the team has been working steadily despite the logistical demands of mounting a large-scale action drama. The film marks the director's first collaboration with Prabhas, a pairing that has generated significant buzz since its announcement.

Production Progress and Scale

Spirit is shaping up to be a substantial undertaking. Vanga, known for his intense storytelling in Arjun Reddy and Kabir Singh, has reportedly designed the film as a high-octane actioner with Prabhas playing a rugged, grey-shaded character. The 40 percent completion figure suggests the team has wrapped major schedule blocks, though substantial portions-including potential overseas or large-scale set pieces-may remain.

The director did not disclose further specifics about pending sequences or release plans. Industry insiders speculate that Spirit could require several more months of shooting before entering post-production, given Prabhas' packed calendar and the film's apparent visual effects requirements.

The Film's Unrelated Predecessor

Notably, the title Spirit carries little connection to the 2021 animated feature of the same name. That earlier film, directed by Elaine Bogan, followed Lucky Prescott, a city girl who moves to a frontier town and befriends a wild mustang named Spirit. A DreamWorks Animation production with a runtime of 88 minutes, it featured voice work from Isabela Merced, Julianne Moore, Jake Gyllenhaal, and others. It earned a TMDb rating of 7.257 and was categorized under Adventure, Animation, Family, and Western genres.

Vanga's Spirit, by contrast, is a live-action Telugu-language feature with no ties to that project. The shared title appears to be coincidental.

Prabhas' Current Landscape

The actor, who rose to pan-Indian stardom with the Baahubali franchise, has multiple projects in various stages. Spirit is being viewed as a potential benchmark in his career, particularly given Vanga's reputation for extracting raw, visceral performances from his leads. The director's combative interview style and uncompromising creative vision have made him a polarizing figure, but his box-office track record remains strong.

Prabhas, for his part, has been alternating between commercial entertainers and more character-driven roles. Early reports suggest Spirit may tilt toward the latter, with a violent, morally ambiguous narrative that contrasts with the larger-than-life heroics he often portrays.

Industry Response

Trade analysts are watching Spirit closely, noting that Vanga's last Telugu directorial outing (Arjun Reddy) became a cultural phenomenon, while his Hindi debut (Kabir Singh) sparked both debate and record collections. Prabhas' own recent releases have had mixed commercial results, making Spirit a potentially pivotal project for both artistes.

The 40 percent update, while modest, signals that the film is on track. No official release date has been announced, but speculation places it in mid-to-late 2027 if production proceeds without major delays.

What Comes Next

Vanga is expected to continue shooting Spirit through the remainder of the year. The director is known for meticulous, often extended filming schedules, often pushing his actors into demanding emotional spaces. For Prabhas, who has largely worked within the framework of VFX-heavy spectacles, this collaboration represents a stylistic shift.

Neither the film's full cast nor its technical crew have been officially disclosed beyond Prabhas' involvement. However, sources suggest the film will feature a strong supporting ensemble and a background score that aligns with Vanga's signature intensity.

As the Telugu film industry watches this high-profile pairing take shape, Sandeep Reddy Vanga's confirmation offers a rare, transparent update on a project that has otherwise been shrouded in secrecy. With 40 percent in the can, Spirit is moving from page to screen-one shot at a time.

Source: The Times of India