Kalki 2898 AD film Review:
Every Friday in my reviews, I rant about the lack of conviction in our filmmakers—a fear of taking creative risks and an over-reliance on tried-and-tested formulas. As lights go out and opening credits play, I desperately hope the film I am watching dares to do something different, something never-seen-before, even if it doesn't do It right. Yes, the bar is that low.
India's track record hasn't been the best when it comes to science fiction films. I am happy to report that director Nag Ashwin’s Kalki is certainly a milestone in the genré.
Stunning visuals of inverted pyramids hovering mid-air, flying robots, dystopian cities and futuristic vehicles make Kalki a visual feast. While the action sequences drag on for too long, and the world-building takes a while to fully set in, an action-packed second half makes up for the pace. At 3 hours 1 minute, the film might seem overstuffed but keeps you on the edge-of-the-seat throughout.
Kalki 2898 AD Plot
The film is set in Kasi, a deserted city ruled by totalitarian Supreme Yaskin (played by an almost unrecognizable Kamal Haasan), the God of the pyramid-shaped complex. Prabhas is Bhairava, a bounty hunter who aspires to gain access to the complex in exchange of one million units.
Bhairava eliminates targets given to him by the complex, headed by Commander Manas (Saswata Chatterjee). Meanwhile, Deepika plays SUM 80, a lab test subject who is later prophesied to be the mother of Kalki, Vishnu's 10th avatar.
Kalki 2898 AD Overview
SUM 80, later known as Sumathi, manages to escape from the complex as she walks through fire, unscathed. The scene, which plays out pre-interval, is goosebumps-inducing.
Disha Patani plays Roxie, who helps Bhairava gain access to the complex and finally enjoy the simple pleasures of life like walking barefoot on a beach and popping champagne at a party which looks more like a ball.
Amitabh Bachhchan is Ashwathama, the mythological character who played a key role in Mahabharata and is now fighting tooth-and-nail to save Sumathi, the mother of Kalki from Yaksin's minions.
Also read: Prabhas’ Kalki 2898 AD sells record tickets in the US ahead of the grand opening
Kalki 2898 AD Cameos
To create a cinematic universe blending dystopia and mythology is no mean feat. The icing on the cake however is the cameo appearances in Kalki 2898 AD, which leave ample room for expanding the universe.
SS Rajamouli appears in a scene as Bhairava's rival and a fellow bounty hunter. The camaraderie between actor-director duo is quite tongue-in-cheek. Dulquer Salmaan appears in Bhairava's flashback. He was his Guardian who trained him as a bounty hunter.
Vijay Devarakonda appears as Arjuna in Ashwathama's flashback of Mahabharata. There is also a blink-and-miss appearance by Ram Gopal Verma that will take you by surprise.
Kalki 2898 AD Performances
While Prabhas and Deepika both are on top of their game, I wish Deepika had a meatier role to play. As Amitabh and Prabhas locked horns, Deepika (as Sumitha) watched from a distance. Surely a better arc could have been written for the actor.
Besides this, the action sequences go on for too long. While Prabhas is at his goofy, muscular best, I wish the entry scene was better and more dazzling.
Kalki 2898 AD What Works, What Doesn't
What Works for Kalki is its aesthetic. Director Nag Ashwin gets the colour palette of a dystopian world just right. There was some conversation on the Internet about Kalki 2898 AD being similar to Dune: Part Two—which couldn’t be further from truth.
Kalki 2898 AD is the start of something new—a cinematic universe in India, our very own Marvel if I may say so, rooted in mythology, set in a dystopian future. The film is a brilliant blend of the two themes and does justice to both. It will be interesting to see which way Kalki Cinematic Universe goes. The critic in me is happy because we finally have a filmmaker who walked the road not taken and offered something different.
Rating: 3.5/5
Kalki 2898 AD is now playing in theaters.
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