Deepika Padukone quits Kalki 2 after 8-hour shift demand! Script leak accusation adds fuel to spirit exit drama
Deepika Padukone has reportedly exited Kalki 2898 AD Part 2 over an 8-hour shift request. Her role may now be cut short. This comes after her controversial removal from Spirit, followed by director Sandeep Reddy Vanga¡¯s indirect accusation of a script leak.
Actor Deepika Padukone has reportedly opted out of the second part of Kalki 2898 AD, following her earlier controversial exit from Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. The decision, according to sources, came after she requested an 8-hour workday¡ªan ask that may not align with the scale and requirements of the upcoming film.
Makers struggle to accommodate shorter work hours
According to a report by Bollywood.mobi, Deepika had asked the production team of Kalki 2898 AD to consider limiting her daily work schedule to eight hours. This comes in light of her recent transition into motherhood after welcoming her daughter Dua in September 2024. Given that the project is a big-budget, high-scale film, sources claim that the team is finding it difficult to accommodate her request without compromising the film¡¯s progress. As a result, the makers are now reportedly considering either removing her character or reducing her screen presence in the sequel. There has been no official word yet from Deepika or the production team.
Actor Deepika Padukone has reportedly opted out of the second part of Kalki 2898 AD | Credit: X
Kalki sequel was to show her giving birth to the saviour
Deepika played a central role in the first part of Kalki 2898 AD, portraying a pregnant woman who carries the unborn Kalki avatar of Lord Vishnu. Her character was set to deliver the divine child in the sequel, who would rise to save a post-apocalyptic world from an oppressive regime. The film also features major stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, and Kamal Haasan, and draws heavily from the Mahabharata for its plot themes.
Earlier exit from spirit and script leak allegations
Deepika¡¯s name also surfaced in headlines recently after she was reportedly removed from Spirit, another upcoming film by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, also starring Prabhas. Reports suggest the actress had demanded an 8-hour schedule, a significant remuneration, and a share in the film¡¯s profits¡ªterms the filmmaker reportedly did not agree to. Soon after, actor Triptii Dimri was announced as the female lead of the project.
The controversy escalated when Vanga posted on X (formerly Twitter) without naming anyone, but indirectly implying a breach of trust. He claimed that a script he had shared during discussions with a lead actor had been leaked. ¡°There is an unsaid NDA between us¡ Putting down a younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for?¡± he wrote, questioning the intentions of the unnamed actor and stating that she ¡°didn¡¯t get it, won¡¯t get it, and will never get it.¡±
For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions¡ªyet!). For her, writing isn¡¯t just work; it¡¯s a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts.
Read More