From Keerthy Suresh to Kalyani Priyadarshan, who could possibly replace Deepika Padukone in Kalki 2?

It is official! Actress Deepika Padukone will not be a part of the sequel team of Kalki 2898 AD. 

Production house  Vyjayanthi Movies announced the decision to part ways with the actress, citing that they were unable to find a partnership.

"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," mentioned the official tweet. 

Speculations are doing the rounds as to what might have been the reason behind her exit from the team. 

Deepika Padukone's demands, which include a 25 per cent hike in the acting fees, limiting the shooting time to 7 hours a day, are some of the reasons reported by Bollywood Hungama. 

 “Deepika’s team is a big one with almost 25 people travelling with her on the sets. They demanded a five-star accommodation and reimbursement for food through the shoot for her entourage. Why should the producers pay for the stay and food of an actor, over and above the fees? This is an issue that a lot of Hindi producers also face,” mentioned the report. 

So, who will replace Deepika Padukone in Kalki 2?

Many names are floating on social media as a prospective replacement for Deepika for the sequel to the Kalki 2898 AD movie. Of the names that are doing the rounds, Keerthy Suresh and Kalyani Priyadarshan stand out.

As per local media reports, Director Nag Ashwin had offered Keerthy a role in his movie Kalki 2898 AD, which she eventually declined. However, she was keen to be associated with the movie and lent her voice to the character "Bujji", an AI bot, who plays a prominent role in the movie. 

Kalyani Priyadarshan's performance in her recently released movie 'Lokah' has garnered her great appreciation for the portrayal of the character 'Chandra'. 

Among other stars who netizens think could be a possible replacement are Anushka Shetty, known for playing mythological roles and Nayanthara, often called 'Lady Superstar' in the south cinema.