'Kalki 2' makers CONFIRM Sai Pallavi being considered as Deepika Padukone's replacement; 'She'll be a perfect fit'

Deepika Padukone's exit from the sequel of 'Kalki 2898 AD' rocked the headlines last year. Recently, reports of Sai Pallavi being in the race to replace the Bollywood actress were doing rounds on the internet. And now, the makers of the movie have responded to the speculative reports. Let's take a look at what they have to say.According to the Hindustan Times report, a representative of 'Kalki 2' has confirmed that the makers are considering Sai Pallavi as Deepika Padukone's replacement. The person told the publication, "Nothing has been finalized yet. But yes, the makers are looking at Sai to play SUM-80 after Deepika’s exit. They think she’ll be a perfect fit for the role." The insider further shared with the website that the reports of the actress being finalized for the role are false. As per the report, the person asked everyone to wait for the official confirmation from the makers. Deepika Padukone's exit from the film officially happened in September 2025, after multiple failed negotiations. As per the reports, the actress had already shot for part 2 of the movie. However, the disagreements took place over remuneration-related and working hours issues. The makers announced her exit on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter); however, none of the parties has commented on what exactly happened. The post read, "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." For those unaware, Deepika Padukone played the role of SUM-80 (Sumati) in the film. Directed by Nag Ashwin, 'Kalki 2' stars Prabhas in the lead role. Amitabh Bachchan played the role of Ashwatthama in the movie. The film also featured Kamal Haasan, Disha Patani, Vijay Deverakonda, Dulquer Salmaan, Mrunal Thakur, and more.The movie was released in theaters on June 27, 2024.