Deepika Padukone Will NOT Return For Kalki 2898 AD Sequel; Makers Say They Were 'Unable To Find A Partnership'

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June earlier this year, several reports stated that Deepika Padukone has decided to exit Kalki 2898 AD's sequel. Now Vyjayanthi Movies, the official producers of the Rs 1000 crore earning film, has put an end to speculations by making an official announcement about Deepika Padukone's role in the much-awaited film. They have confirmed that Deepika Padukone will not return for the film's sequel.

Its Official! Deepika Padukone NOT A Part Of Prabhas Kalki 2898 AD Sequel

Taking to their X account, Vyjayanthi Movies said that they could not find a partnership with Deepika Padukone, and wished her for her future projects. The post 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 works."

Released in 2024, the film directed by Nag Ashwin featured an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani.

Inspired by Hindu mythology, the film serves as the first instalment in the planned Kalki Cinematic Universe. Set in an post-apocalyptic world, a group of people set out to save a woman pregnant with Lord Vishnu's 10th, final avatar, Kalki, from an evil supreme king, Yaskin.

Nag Ashwin Talks About Deepika Padukone's Role In Kalki 2898 AD

In a media appearance this year, Nag Ashwin spoke about Deepika Padukone's character in the film, “She is the most important part of the story… If you remove her character, there is no story. There is no Kalki.”

https://youtu.be/y1-w1kUGuz8?si=QQfrhwjcQYxSHFXV

Recalling how the famous fire-walk sequence came together under tight time constraints, the director said, “We were shooting setups that day, and Deepika had to leave on a certain flight. When I saw her walking through that tunnel of fire, I just knew this was going to be special.”Deepika Padukone was last seen on screen in the 2024 film Singham Again directed by Rohit Shetty. The film starring Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Tiger Shroff, Arjun Kapoor and Jackie Shroff is the fifth installment of Shetty's Cop Universe franchise.