Kalki 2898 AD Review: ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has given Prabhas a role that matches the level of his stardom after ‘Bahubali’. In this, ‘Mahanayak’ Amitabh Bachchan has got a role that does justice to his stature. Like every film, this too has its shortcomings but they do not disturb the strong storytelling and the great epic.
Characters from India’s biggest epic ‘Mahabharata’, the biggest stars of Hindi and South cinema. And a story in which the emotion does not weaken anywhere in the tremendous action… ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is a true Indian epic film.
Pick up the most iconic Indian films and look at their reviews. Whether it is Ramesh Sippy’s ‘Sholay’ or S.S. Rajamouli’s Oscar winner ‘RRR’, which is ingrained in the veins of every Indian cinema fan, there are shortcomings in every film. But the ideas of these iconic films were so unique and bold that they made them the first successful experiment of their kind. ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is one such film. And to believe why, it is very important to watch it.
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has given Prabhas a role that matches the level of his stardom after ‘Bahubali‘. In this, ‘Mahanayak’ Amitabh Bachchan has got a character that does justice to his stature. This film justifies Deepika Padukone’s tag of top Indian actress and shows why Kamal Haasan is called ‘Ulaganayagan’ i.e. universal star. But above all, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has brought such an epic story deeply rooted in Indian culture, that when watching it on the big screen, one feels like breath stopping and not blinking.
Plot of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’
The film starts from Kashi, called the ‘first city of the world’, which is now the last remaining city in the world. But it is not certain for how long this city will be able to breathe. There is a door to a complex in the shape of an inverted pyramid in Kashi, where all the natural resources like water, clean air, fruits and flowers are available. For the people of the world that is getting destroyed, for the lead character of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, this complex is a dream. It is a modern salvation that can save people from the last spectacle of the world.
The currency of the dystopian world of Kashi is called ‘Unit’. And to enter the complex, either one million units are required or the grace of the supreme leader of that place, Captain Manas (Shashwat Chatterjee). Bhairav, who lives only for himself without any worldly bondage, is struggling to collect one million units.
The complex has a dark secret, it has its own separate God, Supreme Yaskin (Kamal Haasan). She herself is preparing for a big tomorrow, for which she needs a biochemical compound, which is found in the body of women who are four months pregnant. And a special woman will get pregnant with a child, this compound found in whose body will make Yaskin super powerful.
In this dystopian world, most of the women have started becoming infertile, that is, they cannot give birth to children. And those who are fertile, the complex keeps them for experimentation. They are artificially impregnated and waited for 120 days to complete. If the compound is found, then it is fine, otherwise the woman will die.
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In this complex, a test case SUM 80 (Deepika Padukone) is very emotional about becoming a mother and is successful in hiding her pregnancy. But she does not know that this child is not only awaited by her, but by the whole world, which is a mysterious world hidden from the eyes of the complex – Shambala. Where people still believe in something like God.
Bhairav wants to capture SUM 80 and hand it over to Manas to gain entry into the complex. Manas himself is also searching for him and Yaskin’s entire ‘Project K’ is based on this. But there is a protector in the way of all this, who has been waiting for hundreds of years just to protect this child – Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan).
Who will succeed in his goal and who will not? Why is the ancient warrior Ashwatthama so determined to protect this child? Is Bhairav just a selfish bounty hunter in the game of ancient powers from an ancient world to this dystopian world? All these answers are unlocked when you watch the film. And the way they are revealed will leave you speechless.
How is the treatment of the story?
Director Nag Ashwin has created an interesting world from the first frame of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. In the setting of a dystopian world, the details of Kashi, the hi-tech world of the complex full of resources looks interesting. Bhairav’s bounty hunter persona is interesting, but in the first half, his entire story and comedy seem a bit stale. Being a Prabhas fan is a mandatory condition to enjoy this.
Coming towards the interval, it is understood that Nag Ashwin has actually created this careless and somewhat childish atmosphere first to set up his hero and story. In this science-fiction world, the atmosphere will change as soon as Kamal Haasan enters with the angle of mythology and you will start sitting straight on the chair. Amitabh Bachchan enters just before the interval. The mythological angle of the film peaks here and the mystery of the story has deepened completely.
The whole power of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is seen in the second half. The way the story of the film rises from the platform built in the first half and unfolds the characters of the present, through the Mahabharata war, gives a breath-taking feeling. The climax of the film is absolutely unimaginable and amazing. In the last half hour, you get to see glimpses of Mahabharata, a big twist in Prabhas’ character and some very brilliant cameos. There is a ‘Bahubali’ call back in the first half as well, which is fun to watch.
The way Nag Ashwin has developed the mythology through visuals generated by modern cinema techniques deserves praise. If we leave aside the dragged pace in the middle of the first half and the time wasted in unnecessary scenes, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is a tremendous entertaining film. The film becomes so strong in the second half that your attention does not get distracted at all.
The visuals of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ are very impressive, but there is still some scope for improvement in VFX. Especially in those parts where the characters are seen flying in the air, there is a slight lag. The dubbing of the film in Hindi is fine, but the effect of translation is visible on the dialogues. Many lines do not feel effortless. But it is not that this affects the experience of watching the film too much. Santosh Narayan’s music gives the storytelling the complete atmosphere that a film of this kind needed. Although the music in the songs is good, but if the lyrics were better, the atmosphere would have been more powerful.
Acting performance
By seeing Amitabh Bachchan’s appearance, the writing of his character and his own brilliant work, you will get a glimpse of the 70s and 80s, when Amitabh ruled the big screen. If we look at Kalki 2898 AD in terms of actors, then it is more of Amitabh’s film and less of Prabhas’.
Prabhas’ character becomes epic in the last half hour. However, from the very beginning, he seems to be in complete sync with the writing of his character. Deepika has less screen time, but this is the demand of her role. Whenever she is on screen, she looks strong at her end.
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Kamal Haasan’s role is called a long cameo, but every moment of his in the film makes you feel a tension. He has made Yaskin a terrifying villain. You will be stunned to see him in the post-credit scene. The calmness with which Shashwat Chatterjee has acted in a completely emotionless role in his negative role is also impressive.
Kalki 2898 AD should be seen in theatres to see how brilliantly today’s visual language can show the greatness of Indian culture. After watching the first hour of the film with a little patience, you get to see the grand spectacle that you would have expected from the first look of the film. To believe that we have made such a film in India, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is a must-watch film.
