Casting Shake-Up: Alia Bhatt Out, Sai Pallavi In for Nag Ashwin’s Film?

The casting of a highly anticipated South Indian film has undergone a significant change, with Alia Bhatt reportedly no longer attached to the project. This development follows the recent professional decisions of Deepika Padukone and other actresses. Alia Bhatt, who was in discussions for a key role in director Nag Ashwin’s female-centric film, has been replaced by Sai Pallavi. The director may have redirected his focus. While there were talks with Alia Bhatt, sources suggest that Sai Pallavi is now in consideration. Alia Bhatt has committed to ‘Chamunda’ from Maddock Films, making her dates unavailable. Sai Pallavi’s schedule is currently tied to ‘Ramayana’, which is expected to be completed by mid-2026. This opens the possibility of her joining Nag Ashwin’s project prior to his work on ‘Kalki 2’.