Deepika Padukone may replace Priyanka Chopra in Shah Rukh Khan's Don 3

Deepika Padukone may have suffered disappointments after the violent protests in India against her latest film Padmavati, but there seems to be a silver lining for the actress as rumour has it that she is set to replace Priyanka Chopra for Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film – Don 3.

Chopra, who was the female lead in the hit franchise starring Khan, is currently busy with the third season of her American TV series Quantico. It is rumored that Priyanka's alleged cold vibe with King Khan and her busy schedule in the US for the ABC thriller have forced the makers to rethink her casting in the third sequel.

A source told the Indian media outlet Deccan Chronicle that efforts to reconcile Chopra and Khan ended without any result and this has prompted the producers to consider the Padmavati actress.

"There was a sincere effort from the concerned parties to solve the problem. However, it didn't work out. Hence, it's not decided whether the makers will look at another actress like Deepika Padukone to play the female lead. Shah Rukh is the lead and hence indispensable. So the actress had to be replaced," the source said.

In the last two Don movies, the Baywatch actress played Roma, a damsel-in-distress-turned-badass cop who vows to catch Don – the international crime lord played by Khan. Their cat and mouse chase and sexual tension was the core of the film's plot.

Padukone and the 52-year-old Bollywood superstar share a crackling romantic chemistry on the silver screen and have starred in a number of blockbusters, including Om Shaanti Om, Chennai Express, and Happy New Year.

Meanwhile, Padukone's Padmavati has been postponed indefinitely. The backlash for the historical saga has taken a violent turn, with a right-wing member and leader of the ruling political party announcing a bounty for her head. Breaking her silence on the ongoing controversy, the 31-year-old actress told Mumbai Mirror, "Well, at this point, as a woman, an artist and a citizen of this country I feel angry. I feel let down and I also find it amusing. I will never feel scared. Fear is not an emotion I have ever identified with."