Deepika begins shooting for ‘King’ with SRK after exit from ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel

Actor Deepika Padukone, who was recently dropped from the sequel of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, has begun work on her next project ‘King’, co-starring superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The film is currently being shot in Poland.
Deepika took to Instagram to share a picture of herself holding hands with Shah Rukh Khan, her first co-star in Bollywood. She made her debut opposite him in the 2007 blockbuster ‘Om Shanti Om’. Reflecting on that journey, Deepika recalled the very first lesson she learned from the superstar.

She wrote: “The very first lesson he taught me almost 18 years ago while filming ‘Om Shanti Om’ was that the experience of making a movie, and the people you make it with, matter far more than its success.”
Deepika added: “I couldn’t agree more and have applied that learning to every decision I’ve made since. And that’s probably why we’re back making our 6th movie together? #king #day1 @iamsrk @s1danand.”
Cheering her on in the comments, Deepika’s husband Ranveer Singh dropped a note that read: “Bestest Besties!”

Directed by Siddharth Anand, ‘King’ boasts an ensemble cast including Suhana Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Anil Kapoor, and Abhay Verma. The film marks the first time Shah Rukh Khan will share screen space with his daughter Suhana. Abhishek Bachchan is set to play the antagonist in this high-octane drama.

Meanwhile, on September 18, the makers of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ officially announced that Deepika Padukone would not be a part of the upcoming sequel. In a statement shared on X, production house Vyjayanthi Movies wrote: “And a film like @Kalki2898AD deserves that commitment and much more. This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD.”

The post further added: “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.”

Released in 2024, the Nag Ashwin directorial ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ featured Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani. Inspired by Hindu scriptures, the film marked the first instalment of the Kalki Cinematic Universe.

Set in a dystopian world in the year 2898 AD, the story followed a group on a mission to protect SUM-80’s unborn child, believed to be Kalki, the tenth and final avatar of Lord Vishnu. The group must shield the woman and her child from Yaskin, an evil supreme god-king.