 "Deepika Padukone to NOT be a part of Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan & Kamal Haasan's Kalki 2898 AD sequel: 'The film deserves commitment and much more'")
After Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, Deepika Padukone is out from another biggie in the form of the sequel of Kalki 2898 AD (both films starring Prabhas). The makers of the pan-India spectacle shared the news on their social media handles and said it is a film which ‘deserves that 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," read the statement of the production house, Vyjayanthi Movies.
Before Kalki 2898 AD, she exited from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit and was replaced by Triptii Dimri. “The actor had reportedly demanded ₹25 crores for approximately 35 days of shoot, along with a 10% profit share, extensive entourage expenses, and even expressed unwillingness to deliver dialogues in Telugu—something the director felt strongly about. To top it off, confidential plot details from Spirit were allegedly leaked, which raised serious concerns among the producers," said a souce to News 18.
According to the report, Sandeep “believes actors speaking their own lines”. “Contrary to speculation, her restricted filming schedule of under 8 hours a day was never the primary issue. In filmmaking, working hours are fluid and depend on location, lighting, and various technical factors. You could shoot for 2 hours or 8, depending on the scene. What truly matters is flexibility, collaboration, and respect for the craft. It’s about commitment. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga believes actors speaking their own lines builds authenticity and emotional connect with the audience," the source added.
Kalki 2898 AD featured Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Kamal Haasan in prominent roles and was directed by Nag Ashwin. It earned over Rs 1000 crore at the global box office.