Post Deepika Padukone's exit from Kalki 2898 AD sequel, Nag Ashwin drops a cryptic post: 'You can’t change…'

Director Nag Ashwin posted a cryptic message on social media, which fans speculate relates to Deepika's departure.

Published: Friday,Sep 19, 2025 03:26 AM GMT+05:30

Yukta Khanna

The Kalki 2898 AD team revealed on Thursday that Deepika Padukone won't be in the sequel, surprising many fans. Director Nag Ashwin then posted a cryptic message on social media, which fans speculate relates to Deepika's departure.

Director Nag Ashwin shared a cryptic post on Instagram after Deepika Padukone's exit from the Kalki 2898 AD sequel. He re-shared a fan-made video of Lord Krishna's entry scene from the film, captioning it, "You can’t change what happened, but you can choose what happens next." Fans speculate that this post is connected to Deepika's departure, fueling further debate.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOwIP_sErb6/?igsh=MXNmemtsMzB0aHd4eQ==

One comment stated, "Seems like he is not happy with the development." Another observed, "They are teaming against Deepika, I don’t why they are doing like this." A third user questioned, "Why to share cryptic post, he should directly address the same." Another added, "Why do celebs talk indirectly, they should directly talk" One more wrote, "Everyone is pretty sad with this news." Another remarked, "at least he is trying to be optimistic."

Deepika played Sumati in the 2023 hit Kalki 2898 AD. On Thursday morning, Vyjayanthi Movies, the film's production house, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that Deepika would not be in the sequel. The post stated: 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.

The statement further added, 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.

The sci-fi epic "Kalki 2898 AD" boasts an ensemble cast, including Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Kamal Haasan, and Disha Patani. Set in a dystopian future, the film draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, specifically the Mahabharata. Here's what we know about the film and its sequel.

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