Deepika Padukone dropped from ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel, makers say film ‘deserves commitment’

Deepika Padukone will not feature in the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD, producers Vyjayanthi Movies confirmed, saying the franchise “deserves commitment.” The first film, directed by Nag Ashwin, starred Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, Kamal Haasan, Deepika and Disha Patani.

Mumbai: The makers of “Kalki 2898 AD” on Thursday officially announced that actress Deepika Padukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel as the epic mythological science-fiction deserves “commitment and much more.”

Vyjayanthi Movies, the production company of the film, took to X, formerly called Twitter, to make the announcement.

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“And a film like @Kalki2898AD deserves that commitment and much more. This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD,” the tweet read.

The tweet further read: “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 Nag Ashwin directed movie featured an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani.

Inspired by Hindu scriptures, the film serves as the first instalment in the planned Kalki Cinematic Universe. Set in a dystopian future in the year 2898 AD, the story follows a group on a mission to protect lab subject SUM-80’s unborn child, believed to be Kalki.

The film is set in a post-apocalyptic world, a group of people set out to save a woman pregnant with Lord Vishnu’s 10th and final avatar, Kalki, from an evil supreme god-king, Yaskin.

Deepika was last seen on screen in the 2024 film Singham Again directed by Rohit Shetty. The film stars Ajay Devgn in the title role, alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Tiger Shroff, Arjun Kapoor and Jackie Shroff. It is the fifth installment of Shetty’s Cop Universe franchise.

The film draws parallels to the Ramayana, the character of Bajirao Singham and his team embark on a mission to rescue his wife, confronting a mysterious and formidable antagonist along the way.