Movie Name: Kalki 2898 AD
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone
Director: Nag Ashwin
Genre: Sci-Fi, Futuristic
Available on: Netflix
Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD sets out to be the biggest sci-fi blockbuster of the year, boasting a stellar cast that includes the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone, and Prabhas. The film ambitiously blends futuristic storytelling with elements of the Mahabharata, aiming to connect with Indian audiences while offering a glimpse of an inclusive future.
The narrative weaves traditional mythology into a science fiction framework, presenting a storyline that resonates with Indian cultural ethos while exploring universal themes of power, morality, and destiny. The integration of the Mahabharata is a clever move, giving the movie a rich, familiar texture that Indian viewers will appreciate. However, the storyline, while engaging, occasionally struggles to maintain a consistent pace, making it feel slightly disjointed at times.
The guest appearances by cinema heavyweights like Ram Gopal Varma, S.S. Rajamouli, and popular stars such as Mrunal Thakur, Dulquer Salmaan, Vijay Deverakonda, and Disha Patani, add to the film’s star power, though they feel more like fan service than essential to the plot.
Visually, Kalki 2898 AD is a spectacle. The film’s costumes, set designs, and background score draw heavily from iconic Hollywood sci-fi movies like Star Wars, Dune, and Mad Max: Fury Road, creating an amalgamation of styles that, while visually impressive, sometimes borders on derivative. The cinematography, particularly reminiscent of Dune, is stunning but lacks originality. The VFX, although adequate, falls short of the high standards set by its Hollywood counterparts, slightly diminishing the overall impact.
Despite its flaws, Kalki 2898 AD is a significant step forward for Indian cinema in the sci-fi genre. It showcases the industry’s growing ambition and the audience’s evolving taste for diverse and complex narratives. For Indian audiences, it’s a promising indication of the future of filmmaking, showcasing the industry’s growing ambition and evolving storytelling.
The movie is clearly set up for a sequel. Looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds in the next instalment.