Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone’s exit from the sequel of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, has sparked a wave of speculations behind this move of the producer.
Actress was under the impression that she was indispensable to the film as she had shot for a few sequences of the film during the making of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’.
Deepika Padukone reportedly demanded a 25% hike in her acting fee for the sequel compared to what she was paid for the first installment. Along with the pay raise, she is said to have insisted on restricting her work schedule to a strict 7-hour shooting day.
According to a source who spoke to GreatAndhra, the producers tried to negotiate by offering her a luxury vanity van for rest breaks if she agreed to longer hours, but she turned down the proposal.
The source further revealed that Deepika also requested five-star accommodation for her 25-member crew, in addition to her fee.
“There were simply too many demands. Producers began to question why they should shoulder such extra costs on top of the actor’s remuneration,” the insider said.
On Thursday, the makers of the film took to their X, formerly Twitter, and shared a long note explaining the possible reasons behind her exit.
They wrote, “This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD. 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”.
This marks her 2nd exit from a movie after she left ‘Spirit’, set to be helmed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga with Prabhas in the lead.
It was alleged that the actress demanded an 8-hour shift owing to her motherhood, and to take care of her daughter Dua.
It was also reported in the media that her exit from ‘Spirit’ was due to disagreement over remuneration, contract amendments for days beyond a specified number, and terms related to profit sharing.
After she walked out of the film, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga posted a statement on social media implying that Deepika breached trust by allegedly disclosing too much (leaking story elements or contract details), and criticised what he implied was “dirty PR games”, and putting down a younger actress (Deepika was replaced by ‘Animal’ sensation Triptii Dimri).
This comes amidst Deepika struggling with her skincare brand, and her husband Ranveer Singh losing out on films in succession.