Deepika Padukone 'Removed' From Kalki 2898 AD Sequel For The Same Reason As Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit?

The makers of Kalki 2898AD recently took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to announce Deepika Padukone's departure from the sequel. While the tweet did not specify the reasons that led to Deepika not being a part of the film, as per a report on Bollywood Hungama, the makers of Kalki 2898 AD are furious with the actress over demands and starry tantrums. 

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The report quotes the source saying, “Deepika Padukone demanded a 25 percent increment on the acting fees she was paid for the first part of the film. That’s not all, she put her foot down on shooting for just 7 hours a day. Given that Kalki 2898 AD is a VFX-heavy film, such short shoots were likely to shoot up the budget by a reasonable amount. The producers were willing to provide a luxury vanity to Deepika for rest, in return of longer shoot hours, but she refused. They also tried to negotiate finances, given that even Prabhas had not asked for an increment in fees. She and her team refused to adjust on either.”

The source further added, “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.”

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Interestingly, Deepika Padukone also had a much-publicized exit from Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga of Animal, co-starring his Kalki 2898 AD colleague Prabhas. Deepika, who has recently had her daughter Dua, grabbed headlines for demanding 7-hour work days for better work-life balance. In Bollywood, where longer shifts are the norm, Deepika's demands made quite a stir. While some like Vikrant Massey and Kabir Khan hailed the move, others saw it as a diva move and unreasonable on Deepika's part.