Nag Ashwin's ambitious sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD made waves for its scale, mythology-driven storytelling, and star-studded cast, quickly cementing its place as one of Indian cinema's most talked-about projects. There was a lot of anticipation for its sequel, which, according to reports, would star Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan in pivotal roles. Earlier, Deepika Padukone, who starred in the first instalment of the film, was also supposed to appear in the sequel, but she exited the project due to differences with the makers. Now, there is a rumour doing the rounds that Sai Pallavi will star in the sequel in the role of SUM-80, which was earlier portrayed by Deepika.
In September 2025, not long after her reported exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit, Deepika Padukone was also said to have stepped away from the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD. Speculation suggested that she had already shot for nearly 20 days when discussions around a fee revision came up, which eventually led to her exit from the project. Now, a report by Hindustan Times suggests that Sai Pallavi will be Deepika's replacement.
A source representing the film told the organisation, "Nothing has been finalised yet. But yes, the makers are looking at Sai to play SUM-80 after Deepika's exit. They think she'll be a perfect fit for the role."
The source absolutely dismissed the idea that Sai has been confirmed by the director Nag Ashwin and that the shooting will start soon. They said, "All these are just rumours because nothing has been finalised yet. Please wait for official confirmation."
As stated by the source, there has been no official confirmation that has come in from the director or the producer of the film. Until then, it is not confirmed that it is definitely Sai who will be replacing Deepika in the film, but the rumours around definitely do suggest that she will be the one to do so.
This year is as it is going to be exceptionally big for Sai with her playing the role of Sita in Nitesh Tiwari's much-anticipated Ramayana. The film will also star Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Yash as Ravana and Sunny Deol as Hanuman, among other big names.
