Overview

• Vyjayanthi Movies issued an official statement saying it has parted ways with Deepika Padukone for the sequel, adding that a film like Kalki 2898 AD “deserves that commitment and much more.”
• Padukone has not commented publicly, and director Nag Ashwin posted a cryptic note on social media saying, “You can’t change what happened, but you can choose what happens next.”
• Multiple outlets, citing unnamed sources, reported disputes over a fee increase, restricted daily shoot hours and entourage arrangements, though none of these claims have been confirmed by the parties.
• A separate report claimed her role in the revised script had been reduced to a near cameo, which the outlet said contributed to her exit; this account also remains unverified.
• The sequel is eyeing a late‑year start, according to earlier interviews, and the production now faces a recast or narrative rethink after Padukone’s pivotal presence in the first film.