Deepika Padukone not part of 'Kalki 2898 AD' sequel, say makers

Bollywood star Deepika Padukone will not be returning for the sequel of Telugu blockbuster "Kalki 2898 AD" as the producers and the actor couldn't "find a partnership", the makers announced on Thursday.

Vyjayanthi Movies, which produced the Nag Ashwin-directed film, also starring Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan, shared the news in a post on social media platform X, saying that the producers and the actor were unable to work out a collaboration for the project, which requires "commitment and much more".

"This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD. After careful consideration, we have decided to part ways. Despite the long journey of making the first film, we were unable to find a partnership. And a film like @Kalki2898AD deserves that commitment and much more. We wish her the best with her future works," the studio said.

Deepika, 39, has not yet commented on her exit from the franchise.

Inspired by Hindu scriptures, "Kalki 2898 AD" served as the first instalment in the planned Kalki Cinematic Universe in 2024.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the film followed a group of people set out to save a woman pregnant with Lord Vishnu's 10th and final avatar, Kalki, from an evil supreme god-king, Yaskin.

It featured Deepika as Sumathi aka SUM-80, Prabhas as Bhairava/Karna, Bachchan as Ashwatthama and Kamal Haasan as Supreme Yaskin.

The film released in June 2024 and earned over Rs 1000 crore at the global box office.

The development comes months after there were reports of Deepika's exit from filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga's "Spirit", also headlined by Prabhas. However, there was never any official confirmation of Padukone's involvement in the film.

In May, there were several reports which claimed that Deepika had raised concerns about certain sequences in the film's script and had requested an 8-hour workday. There were also differences related to her remuneration for the project.

Her alleged exit from "Spirit" had also led to a debate about flexible working hours for actors in the film industry.

The makers of "Spirit" later cast actor Tripti Dimri, who starred in Vanga's 2023 blockbuster movie "Animal", as the leading lady opposite Prabhas.

Deepika was most recently seen in filmmaker Rohit Shetty's "Singham Again". Her next project is an untitled project from "Jawan" director Atlee. In the movie, she will feature alongside Telugu superstar Allu Arjun.