Kalki 2898 AD director Nag Ashwin shares cryptic post after Deepika Padukone's exit from the sequel: 'You can't change what happened but...'

Vyjayanthi Movies confirmed Deepika Padukone’s exit from the Kalki 2898 AD sequel yesterday by sharing an official note on X, which read, “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 projects,” the note further added.

Now, hours after this news, the director of the movie, Nag Ashwin, shared a cryptic note on his Instagram stories, which grabbed the eyeballs of the netizens as his indirect reaction to DP’s exit . Sharing a fan edit of Krishna’s entry from Kalki 2898 AD, he wrote, “You can’t change what happened, but you can choose what happens next.”

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.