Kalki 2898 AD

Genres : Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Action

Writer : Surya Turaga 

Date : 4th July 2024

For the first ever Indian dystopian sci-fi of this scale, I’d say we’re off to a great start. Kalki 2898 AD clearly takes inspiration from many American sci-fis, but certainly sets itself apart in creating an original story of its own. It may not have reached the sci-fi dystopia mark set by Hollywood. In spite of that, this film entertains a diverse audience with a new world. 

Kalki 2898 AD is a Telugu film set in the far future, when the world is a barren wasteland due to an evil overlord vaguely resembling Emperor Palpatine. Today’s religious city, Kashi, is the last city left standing. The setting was very well designed, with the city looking pretty broken up, but also fused with different cultures in and out of India. The signboards in different languages were perhaps the best indicator of this. There was a fairly successful attempt to take inspiration from Los Angeles in Blade Runner. The secret hideout of the rebels vaguely reminds one of Avatar, with a big tree and a wise lady. 

The story bears heavy connection to Hindu mythology. The Mahabharata is referenced several times, with Amitabh Bachchan even playing Ashwatthama, the mythological warrior cursed with immortality. Deepika Padukone plays a runaway carrying the prophesized reincarnation of God, and Prabhas takes on the role of Bhairava, a bounty hunter who will do anything for money. Knowing the Mahabharata isn’t necessary. However, knowing the basic outline of the characters and the events would help feel the gravitas of the movie, especially towards the end. 

The plot itself was very interesting in the sense that it successfully introduced a new world, set up character arcs, showed good action, and prepared the stage for the next film. It is worth pointing out that a couple of scenes were easy to predict, but none of the important aspects come off as boring. The connections to the Mahabharatha was one of the best parts of the film, as the mythology was adapted with no changes, while also making it highly relevant to this fictional adaptation of Vishnu’s tenth reincarnation. 

Kalki may have borrowed visual concepts from Blade Runner and Dune, but it definitely entertains with an interesting and original story of the clash between a mythological warrior and a fierce bounty hunter. I did not expect a lot out of the cinematography or the directing. Thankfully, my expectations were subverted by a well paced story, practical camera angles, as well as visually striking special effects. The visual effects complimented the action very well, with the choreography trying to match up to the advanced technology used by the characters. 

Amitabh Bachchan definitely stole the show with acting here, pulling off an old immortal warrior even at the age of 81. It was good to see Prabhas share the stage with him and Deepika Padukone. Prabhas seems to be back to acting quite well, as he certainly declined for a bit after Baahubali with Saaho, Radhe Shyam, and Adipurush. Salaar was refreshing to see because Prabhas could share the spotlight, and Kalki is great to watch because Prabhas is getting back into his element. Additionally, it is very respectable that Amitabh Bachchan, a Hindi actor, was able to pull off the Telugu dubbing perfectly. 

To conclude, Kalki 2898 AD is a must watch, especially for those who have a taste for Telugu film. It would help a lot to just read up on the Mahabharata if you’re unfamiliar. Some scenes were reshot for Hindi, but it’s apparently good in all the languages. Although I’d really recommend watching Telugu or Hindi. Kalki drags a bit in the first half, but is a brilliant visual spectacle in its second half. The characters are well thought out, and the settings are creative fusions of different Indian cultures. The songs may bore, but the action won’t. The plot progression and cliffhanger ending makes me eagerly await the next film. 

Surya-o-meter : 88%

Story - 9/10

Directing - 7/10

Acting - 8/10

Music - 6/10

Cinematography - 7/10