Speculation did the rounds on Tuesday that Alia Bhatt has joined the set of Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD sequel and has even shot a few scenes. The internet was confused if she was replacing Deepika Padukone or was roped in for a new role, even as the filmmakers remained mum. A spokesperson for the film’s team clarifies to Hindustan Times.
Rumours of Alia Bhatt in Kalki 2898 AD
Several social media pages cited sources claiming that Alia will play a major role in the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD. While some initially believed she was replacing Deepika as Sumathi (SUM-80), others reported it was a new role. It was also reported that she had already shot a few scenes for the film in Hyderabad, adding to the speculation. As the news caught fire, excited fans also made comments like, “alia bhatt and sai pallavi in one movie?? no one talk to me rn.”
Kalki 2898 AD team reacts to rumours
While neither Alia nor the team of Kalki 2898 AD have publicly clarified these rumours, a spokesperson for the film spoke to HT. “No shooting,” they said, putting an end to rumours that the actor shot for the film. When asked to confirm if she has been roped in for the sequel, they replied, “There’s no official clarity yet. Someone posted it on social media, and everyone else copied and pasted it as news. There’s definitely no clarity regarding her casting yet.”
Deepika Padukone’s exit from Kalki 2898 AD
A few days after Deepika parted ways with Sandeep Reddy Vanga over Spirit, the production house Vyjayanthi Movies announced that she will also not star in the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD.
“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,” they wrote, making the announcement in September 2025.
In February this year, when news broke that Sai might be replacing Deepika as SUM-80, a source told HT, “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.” They also brushed off rumours that Sai has been finalised by Nag and that shooting will resume soon. “All these are just rumours because nothing has been finalised yet. Please wait for official confirmation,” they say.
Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan have resumed shooting for the film, while Prabhas has yet to join.