Hours after Vyjayanthi Movies announced that Deepika Padukone will no longer be a part of the much-anticipated Kalki 2898AD sequel, the film's director, Nag Ashwin, shared a cryptic note on his Instagram account
Nag Ashwin and Deepika Padukone
Kalki 2898 AD sequel seems to be in deep trouble following Deepika Padukone's exit from the film. On September 18, the production banner Vyjayanthi Movies officially confirmed that Deepika will not return for the film's second part. Sharing the news on their official X, they mentioned that they "could not find a partnership" with the actress, sparking a lot of conversations in the industry. Amid this, the film's director, Nag Ashwin, posted a cryptic post on social media.
Nag Ashwin posts cryptic message
Soon after the news came in, director Nag Ashwin shared a cryptic post on his Instagram stories, further adding to the update. The filmmaker shared a fan edit of Krishna's entry from Kalki 2898 AD and wrote in the caption, "You can’t change what happened, but you can choose what happens next." The story immediately aroused the curiosity of his followers, as they began linking it to Deepika's exit. Many netizens called Nag's tory a response to the big news.
Vyjayanthi Movies shared an official note on X (formerly Twitter) that 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." The news left fans shocked, given Deepika’s central role in the 2023 hit.
What led to Deepika Padukone's exit?
A source told mid-day, “It wasn’t unreasonable from Deepika’s perspective because she has a young child and wants a work-life balance. But on a film like Kalki, an eight-hour workday translates to about six hours of camera time. Kalki is heavy on action and VFX, and that sort of schedule is hard to accommodate.” An insider close to the production reveals that the decision makers at the banner, planning to roll Kalki 2 by the year-end, knew that any uncertainty around schedules would burden the expensive film. The insider says, “Kalki 2 is a multi-hundred crore film with an ensemble cast, and enormous technical and logistical challenges. Any uncertainty around a lead actor’s time can derail the entire chain.”
Another point of contention was money, according to multiple sources. It is heard that Padukone’s team proposed a fee hike from her compensation for the first film. “The studio felt the combination of higher fee and limited hours made the project unworkable.” Reports suggest that the studio also had reservations regarding the actor’s entourage costs.
What stood out in this case is Vyjayanthi Movies’ decision to publicly announce the parting of ways on social media. The decision was allegedly rooted in caution. A source shares, “The production house was clear that they didn’t want a repeat of the media showdown that happened during Spirit. Kalki is a prestigious film for them, and they didn’t want multiple narratives to surround it.”
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