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Actor Deepika Padukone will not be part of the upcoming sequel to Kalki 2989 AD, which stars Prabhas, Kamal Haasan, Amitabh Bachchan, and others. The announcement was made on Thursday, September 18, by Vyjayanthi Movies. In their statement, the production house said they were “unable to find a partnership” with Deepika, “despite the long journey of making the first film.” However, no further details were offered.
“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 work.”
Deepika, who welcomed her first child earlier this year, has not yet released a statement. This is the second Telugu project with Prabhas that Deepika has stepped away from. She had earlier exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, which also stirred controversy. Following her departure from that film, she was replaced by Animal actor Triptii Dimri. Sandeep Vanga made pointed remarks online at the time, though Deepika herself refrained from responding publicly.
Released in June 2024 with a massive budget of Rs 600 crore, Kalki 2989 AD is a dystopian-mythological epic inspired by the Mahabharata. The film received strong reviews from both critics and audiences. Deepika played Sum-80 (Sumathi), whose pregnancy with the prophesied Kalki, the final avatar of Hindu god Vishnu, was the cliffhanger ending of the first film.