Deepika Padukone will not be part of the Kalki 2898 AD sequel, but the makers have not publicly disclosed a specific reason for the separation. Vyjayanthi Movies announced in September 2025 that it was parting ways with her, saying it had been unable to find a partnership. Reports later described possible disagreements over her role, fees and working arrangements; none has been confirmed by the production house as the cause.
What Vyjayanthi Movies confirmed
On 18 September 2025, production house Vyjayanthi Movies announced that Padukone would not be part of the upcoming sequel. The Indian Express quoted the announcement on 20 September: “This is to officially announce that Deepika Padukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of Kalki 2898 AD.” The Indian Express
The production house also said, “Despite the long journey of making the first film, we were unable to find a partnership.” In a separate line, it added that “a film like Kalki 2898AD deserves that commitment and much more.” Those words state the makers’ public rationale, but they do not identify a particular disagreement, explain who initiated the split, or establish a detailed sequence of events. The Indian Express Hindustan Times
What reports say about the possible reasons
After the announcement, media reports attributed the separation to possible differences involving the size of Padukone’s role, fees, work hours and other production arrangements. These are reported explanations, not confirmed reasons. The accounts vary, and Vyjayanthi Movies’ public statement did not substantiate any one of them. India Today Hindustan Times Bollywood Hungama
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In particular, the claim that her part might have been reduced to a cameo should not be treated as an established account of what happened. Publicly available statements from the production house do not confirm that such a change caused her departure. India Today
Is Sai Pallavi replacing her?
No replacement was confirmed in the reports covered here. A production representative denied that Sai Pallavi had been finalised to replace Padukone as SUM-80. India Today
In a later casting update, director Nag Ashwin said, “No new additions. We are continuing with the story we started, and there are already so many characters in it,” according to The Indian Express. That comment addresses new cast additions; it does not explain the 2025 separation or specify how the sequel will handle Padukone’s character. The Indian Express
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What remains unanswered
The distinction is between the confirmed outcome and the unresolved cause: Padukone is not returning, and the makers described an inability to find a partnership, while the detailed explanations in subsequent coverage remain unverified publicly. The casting updates do not settle the private reason for the split.
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