The controversy surrounding Deepika Padukone's departure from the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD continues to persist. Observant fans have pointed out that not only has the actress been excluded from the upcoming sequel, but her name is also missing from the film's end credits on streaming platforms. Considering Deepika was prominently featured as one of the three main faces on the poster, this omission is quite unexpected. As clips and screenshots of the altered end credits circulated on social media, fans rallied behind Deepika, condemning the filmmakers for their 'petty and unprofessional' actions.
Deepika Padukone is not listed in the credits for Kalki 2898 AD.
Kalki 2898 AD is a dystopian sci-fi and mythological fantasy film featuring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, and Deepika in leading roles. Deepika portrayed SUM-80, a pregnant woman pursued by bounty hunter Prabhas and safeguarded by Ashwatthama (Amitabh). Directed by Nag Ashwin, the movie combined elements of the Mahabharata with dystopian science fiction and earned over ₹1000 crore. Designed as the first installment of a series, the film concluded with the message: ‘Kalki Cinematic Universe continues’.
The closing credits appear right after the message, featuring images of Deepika. Interestingly, in the Netflix and Prime Video versions of the film, Deepika's name is missing from the end credits. A fan page dedicated to Deepika posted the end credits video on social media, stating, 'OTT Version of Kalki Part 1 Excludes Deepika Padukone’s Name from Credits.'
Supporters criticize the creators of Kalki 2898 AD
The video quickly made its way to the BollyBlindsNGossip subreddit, where social media users analyzed the situation. One user commented, 'Having a disagreement is one thing, but this behavior is simply unprofessional. She is part of the film and even promoted it. The irony is that they accused Deepika of being unprofessional, yet they act like this.' Another user humorously remarked, 'Well, well, who's unprofessional now?'
In the previous month, Vyjayanthi Movies, the producers of Kalki 2898 AD, revealed that Deepika would not be part of the film's intended sequel. Subsequent reports suggested this decision stemmed from Deepika's 'unprofessional' demands, such as higher pay and reduced working hours. Many Reddit users concurred that, regardless of any disagreement between the actress and the production company, removing her from the film was inappropriate. One user commented, 'Deepika doesn't even need a PR campaign to make them look bad; they do it themselves.' Another user agreed, stating, 'So petty, it only enhances DP's image.'
A social media user speculated whether the filmmakers might entirely eliminate Deepika from the movie through artificial intelligence. They questioned, 'What's the next step? Will they swap her face with another person's using AI? I wouldn't be shocked! They're taking this too far now.' As of now, Vyjayanthi Movies has not officially commented on the omission of Deepika's name from the end credits.
Regarding the controversy involving Deepika and Kalki
Kalki 2898 AD included Kamal Haasan in a brief role as the villain. The follow-up was intended to highlight his significant role, depicting Ashwatthama's efforts to save SUM-80 from him. It will also explore the links between Prabhas' character and the Mahabharata. The story draws inspiration from the Kalki avatar of Lord Vishnu, with a contemporary twist. There has been no update on who will replace Deepika in the film, and the release date remains unannounced.
The forthcoming movies featuring Deepika
Previously, Deepika also withdrew from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit because she requested an 8-hour workday as a new mother. Currently, the actress is collaborating with Shah Rukh Khan in King and starring alongside Allu Arjun in his project with Atlee.
