The controversy dates back to 2012, when Deepika Padukone walked out of Abbas–Mustan’s Race 2. The action thriller was already in production when the actress exited after shooting for six days. Producer Ramesh Taurani had expressed his disappointment in an interview, recalling how he felt disrespected by her sudden withdrawal

The makers of Kalki 2898 AD announced on Thursday (September 18) that Deepika Padukone will not feature in the film's sequel, citing that a project of this scale demands "commitment." Soon after the official announcement, a section of netizens branded the actress "unprofessional."

Many noted that this is the second film she has reportedly lost after Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, allegedly for similar reasons. Amid the debate, an old interview of filmmaker Ramesh Taurani has resurfaced, where he accused Deepika of unprofessional conduct more than a decade ago.

Deepika Padukone's Race 2 controversy

The controversy dates back to 2012, when Deepika walked out of Abbas–Mustan’s Race 2. The action thriller, headlined by Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham and Jacqueline Fernandez, was already in production when the actress exited after shooting for six days. Producer Ramesh Taurani had expressed his disappointment in an interview with The Times of India, recalling how he felt disrespected by her sudden withdrawal.

"The saddest part is that Deepika was supposed to meet me on January 27. At the last minute, she texted to say that she would not be coming but her manager would explain her concerns and ‘find a way for us to work together’. Deepika was in Mumbai from January 27 to January 31 but refused to answer my calls, reply to messages or meet me. In my 25 years in this industry, I have never been so disrespected by any actor and we have worked with the biggest and the best," Taurani had said.

At the time, reports suggested that Deepika’s manager informed the producers she had received a Hollywood offer, which prompted her decision to exit Race 2. Shortly after, she flew to the US, further frustrating the makers. Taurani later revealed that when she returned, he made several attempts to resolve the matter. He even met her on the sets of Cocktail (2012), but negotiations fell through.

Recounting the incident, Taurani had said, “We tried everything to convince her to not do this. I really tried to find a way to work things out with Deepika. Unfortunately, she was not willing to budge and did not even show an ounce of remorse for the massive inconvenience caused to us, our actors and our senior directors. After this, I had no choice but to file a complaint against her in the AMPTPP and CINTAA. I am deeply saddened by this unprofessional behaviour.”

While the matter escalated to official associations, the CINTAA meeting was eventually called off. A few days later, Deepika returned to the film, reportedly with fresh terms in place. The controversy, however, didn’t derail her career. On the contrary, 2013 turned out to be a landmark year, with Race 2 emerging as a key release alongside Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Chennai Express, cementing her position as one of Bollywood’s top actresses.

Meanwhile, the makers of Kalki 2898 AD, Vyjayanthi Movies shared on social media, "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," the statement further read.

Directed by Nag Ashwin, Kalki 2898 AD also starred Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Disha Patani and others.