Kalki 2898 AD sequel: Did Deepika Padukone's 'fee hike' and 'scheduling clash' lead to her exit? Speculations grow after Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Spirit' fallout

After the blockbuster success of 'Kalki 2898 AD', fans were eagerly waiting to see how the story continued in the sequel starring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan. However, the makers, Vyjayanthi Movies, announced in a social media post, that leading lady Deepika will not be part of the second instalment.

Deepika bows out of Kalki 2898 AD

News of the actress' exit came in a tweet that read, "This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD."Hinting at 'commitment' issues with the actress, the note went on to 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."The post, left fans stunned with many wondering how the story will continue, the fate of her character, and even the reason for the sudden departure.

Rumoured reason for her departure

According to a report by OTTplay, the star's exit was allegedly due to multiple factors, including scheduling conflicts, remuneration demands, and strained discussions between the actress’s team and the filmmakers.Prabhas, the film’s leading man, has been juggling multiple commitments with 'Fauji' and Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s 'Spirit', creating repeated delays for the shoot. Deepika’s team reportedly grew restless over the uncertainty of the filming schedule, considering her shooting slate.

Sources told the portal that Deepika subsequently demanded a fee hike, raising it to Rs 25 crore. This sudden escalation reportedly did not sit well with the makers, who had already signed her for both parts for a fixed fee.According to the report director Nag Ashwin was 'upset' with the way the negotiations were handled.

Deepika's exit from 'Spirit'

This exit comes just months after Deepika made headlines early this year for bowing out of another major project. She was previously in talks to star opposite Prabhas in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s 'Spirit', but was later replaced by Triptii Dimri due to disagreements with the director.On the work frontDeepika is currently busy working on Atlee's next big venture AA22xA6. The film will mark her first-ever collaboration with Allu Arjun and her reunion with director Atlee after working in the blockbuster film 'Pathaan'.