Nag Ashwin shares cryptic note hours after official announcement of Deepika’s exit from Kalki

Kalki 2898 AD sequel has hit a turning point after Deepika Padukone’s confirmed departure. Hours later, director Nag Ashwin shared a cryptic note online.

Vyjayanthi Movies, the production banner behind the franchise, officially announced on Thursday, 18 September, that Deepika Padukone will not be part of the upcoming sequel. The statement, shared on X (formerly Twitter), 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.”*

Note that Nag Ashwin shared

In the wake of this announcement, director Nag Ashwin shared a mysterious post on his Instagram Stories, featuring a fan-made edit of Krishna’s dramatic entry from Kalki 2898 AD. Accompanying the video was a cryptic message:

“You can't change what happened, but you can choose what happens next.”

Deepika played Sumathi, a pregnant woman, in the first Kalki film — a sci-fi epic that also starred industry heavyweights Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, and Disha Patani. Produced on a staggering ₹600 crore budget, the film shattered box office records with global collections exceeding ₹1000 crore.

Though Ashwin did not explicitly reference Padukone’s exit, the timing and tone of his note have sparked widespread speculation that it is a veiled response to the recent casting change. Fans are eager to see how the sequel will evolve without one of its original leads and what direction the filmmaker will take next.