'She made my life very easy': 'Kalki 2898 AD' director Nag Ashwin once called Deepika Padukone ‘effortless’

Deepika Padukone’s exit from ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ left everyone shocked. A few days ago, the makers of the movie officially confirmed that she will not be part of the sequel. The news soon created a storm online, with fans wondering why one of the film’s biggest stars had walked away. While rumours about unprofessional behaviour started spreading, it is important to remember that in 2024, director Nag Ashwin had praised Deepika and spoken warmly about her work on set.

Nag Ashwin praised Deepika Padukone’s effortless acting

In an interview with Filmymantra in 2024, Nag Ashwin had shared how much he valued working with Deepika. He said, “She was very effortless, she made my life very easy for sure. Especially in part one, her role required her to have a sort of weight. There were not too many scenes also with her but wherever it was required, she stepped up and was amazing.”

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Deepika Padukone Exits 'Kalki 2898 Ad' Sequel, Makers Say 'Film Deserves Commitment'

Makers confirmed her exit officially

On Thursday, Vyjayanthi Movies, the production house behind the project, released a statement on X (formerly Twitter). Their message read, “This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel to Kalki 2898 AD. 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. A film like Kalki 2898 AD deserves that commitment and much more. We wish her the best with her future works.”

The announcement stunned fans who had expected her to be a central part of the second film as well.

Deepika Padukone begins shooting for Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘King’

Despite the buzz around her exit, Deepika has already turned her focus to new projects. She recently confirmed that she is working with SRK again in their film ‘King’. She posted a photo holding SRK’s hand and wrote about starting the shoot.

She also remembered their first collaboration, “The very first lesson he taught me almost 18 years ago while filming Om Shanti Om was that the experience of making a movie, and the people you make it with, matter far more than its success. I couldn’t agree more and have applied that learning to every decision I’ve made since. And that’s probably why we’re back making our 6th movie together?” She tagged SRK and added, “#King and #Day1.”

Apart from ‘King’, Deepika will also be part of Atlee and Allu Arjun’s much-talked-about project ‘AA22 x A6’.