Why Did Deepika Padukone Leave ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ and Join ‘King’ with SRK?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Deepika Padukone shifts focus to new projects.
- She shares valuable lessons from veteran actor Shah Rukh Khan.
- ‘King’ promises a high-octane drama with a stellar cast.
- Deepika and SRK's collaboration continues to thrive.
- The Bollywood landscape remains dynamic and unpredictable.
Mumbai, Sep 20 (NationPress) Actress Deepika Padukone, who was recently let go from the sequel of Kalki 2898 AD, has commenced filming her upcoming project titled King, alongside superstar Shah Rukh Khan in Poland.
Deepika took to Instagram to share a moment of holding hands with Shah Rukh, her co-star from the 2007 hit Om Shanti Om, which marked her debut in Bollywood. She reminisced about the very first lesson he imparted to her.
She expressed: “The initial lesson he taught me nearly 18 years ago during Om Shanti Om was that the journey of filmmaking and the people involved are far more significant than the film's success.”
Deepika further added: “I wholeheartedly agree and have employed that wisdom in every choice I've made since. Perhaps that's why we're collaborating again for our sixth movie? #king #day1 @iamsrk @s1danand.”
Ranveer Singh, Deepika's husband, took to the comment section to cheer for her, saying: 'Bestest Besties!'
The anticipated film is directed by Siddharth Anand and includes a stellar cast featuring SRK’s daughter Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Anil Kapoor, and Abhay Verma, promising to deliver an action-packed drama.
This film marks the first time the superstar shares the screen with his daughter Suhana Khan, while Abhishek Bachchan takes on the role of the antagonist.
On September 18, the producers of Kalki 2898 AD officially declared that Deepika Padukone would not be part of the upcoming sequel, emphasizing that the epic mythological science-fiction film requires “commitment and much more.”
Vyjayanthi Movies, the film's production house, announced this via X, formerly known as Twitter.
The tweet stated, “A film like @Kalki2898AD deserves that commitment and much more. This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD. After thorough consideration, we have chosen to part ways. Despite the long journey of making the first film, we were unable to establish a partnership. We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”
Released in 2024, the film directed by Nag Ashwin featured a remarkable cast, including Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani.
Drawing inspiration from Hindu scriptures, the film stands as the inaugural entry in the planned Kalki Cinematic Universe. Set in a dystopian future in the year 2898 AD, it narrates the story of a group on a mission to safeguard lab subject SUM-80's unborn child, believed to be Kalki.
In a post-apocalyptic world, the narrative revolves around a team attempting to rescue a woman pregnant with Lord Vishnu's 10th and final avatar, Kalki, from an evil supreme god-king, Yaskin.