Deepika Padukone to play a warrior queen in Atlee and Allu Arjun's pan India epic ‘AA22xA6’

Deepika Padukone has officially signed on as the female lead in Atlee’s highly anticipated film with Allu Arjun, tentatively titled AA22xA6. The announcement has come after her controversial exit from Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, making this casting a major talking point in film circles and among fans.

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From warrior mode to pan-India power move

The film’s production house, Sun Pictures, introduced Deepika with a video of her training for what appears to be a fierce action role. Concept sketches depict her as a warrior queen, leaping into battle with a massive axe. The video includes scenes of her practising fight choreography in a motion-capture suit and even riding a CGI horse while wielding a weapon.

The visual cues suggest a fantasy-meets-science-fiction world with Deepika at the centre of it. This will be her first screen outing with Allu Arjun and her second project with director Atlee after the 2023 hit Jawan. The makers are calling it a “magnum opus” and have brought on top international technicians, including VFX experts who have worked on Iron Man 2 and Transformers.

Hollywood-based creators involved in the project have publicly praised the film’s script. From creature designs to large-scale battle sequences, AA22xA6 will be one of Indian cinema’s biggest cross-industry collaborations yet.

Sun Pictures reveals the film logo with a teaser full of actionYoutube Screengrab/ Sun TV

Exiting Spirit, entering strength

Deepika’s casting comes soon after her exit from Spirit, which led to a social media stir. While Sandeep Reddy Vanga seemed to suggest she made unreasonable demands, sources close to the actor say she simply wanted an eight-hour workday, a choice influenced by her becoming a new mother.

Vanga’s cryptic posts online accused an actor of lacking commitment, but fans and industry insiders were quick to defend Deepika’s professionalism. Some even joked, “She doesn’t need Vanga,” applauding her for choosing stronger projects over toxic work environments. Replacing her in Spirit is Animal star Triptii Dimri.

Director Atlee guides Deepika through motion capture choreographyYoutube Screengrab/Sun TV

With AA22xA6, Deepika is not just stepping into a powerful role on screen, she’s also showing that leading women in the industry can call the shots without compromise.