Deepika Padukone out of Kalki 2898 AD sequel: The follow up on Kalki 2898 AD is back in the news this time with a huge casting upheaval. It was announced officially that Deepika Padukone will not be back to play part two of the blockbuster production house Vyjayanthi Movies. The news has left the fans wondering as it has been reported that the departure was through the increment of the actress fee and working conditions demands.
Why did Deepika leave the sequel?
Industry reports indicate that Deepika had been requesting a 25 percent rise in her acting commission to that of the first film. Besides, she also asked her shooting schedule to be limited to seven hours a day. In the case of a huge project that requires extensive work in VFX, like Kalki 2898 AD, the restricted amount of time might have created a high cost and longer-lasting production time.
Producers are reportedly providing her with more comfort and luxury amenities, such as a high-quality vanity van, in return of extended work hours. Nevertheless, her team was not willing to make these changes.
The entourage and five-star accommodation demand
Her huge entourage was also another big bone she had. It was also accessed that Deepika comes with approximately 25 members of her team, and they demanded five star accommodation and meal allowances during the shoot. The producers thought that it was irrational to incur them in addition to her already high acting fees.
The producers’ final decision
When the negotiations fell through, Vyjayanthi Movies issued an official statement stating that she had left. Kalki 2898 AD is a film that is supposed to be fully committed, and we could not locate that alliance, the statement said. They also wanted the actress to have success in her next endeavors.
Director Nag Ashwin’s cryptic post
To further add to the frenzy, the filmmaker, Nag Ashwin gave a mysterious message on social media: You can not change what happened, however, you can decide what happens next. This was soon associated with the departure of Deepika, and it was perceived by fans as an indirect way of the filmmaker to deal with the situation.
Not the first exit for Deepika
This is the second occasion this year when Deepika has taken a hiatus of a high-profile project. Previously, she was also dropped in Sandeep Reddy Vanga Spirit, in which Prabhas also acted. Reports were also indicative at the time that she requested shorter shifts, a part in the film profits and a condition that she would not deliver dialogues in Telugu – all of which were allegedly turned down by the filmmakers.
Kalki 2898 AD’s success and the sequel’s future
The initial episode of Kalki 2898 AD, which was issued in June 2024, was a huge international hit with a collection of more than [?]1000 crore at the box office. Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, and Disha Patani played along with Deepika in the film. Her contribution to the popular project was supposed to be extended in the sequel due to the scale of the project. The producers are now supposed to replace her with another lead artist.
Social media reactions
The moment the news appeared, the social media started buzzing. Although most fans were disappointed, some went on to defend the position of the producers as the film needed total commitment. The question now arises who will fill Deepika in the much anticipated sequel?