Kalki 2898 AD Movie Review: Prabhas starrer is a glorious epic feast with Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan capturing everyone’s attention

Prabhas starrer Kalki 2898 AD has finally arrived on the big screens. Read the review from Pinkvilla to learn about the world Nag Ashwin has created.

Published on Jun 27, 2024  |  02:44 PM IST |  898.5K
Kalki 2898 AD Review: Prabhas starrer is a celebration of myth embedded in a sci-fi world
Kalki 2898 AD Review: Prabhas starrer is a celebration of myth embedded in a sci-fi world (PC: Kalki 2898 AD, X)

Name: Kalki 2898 AD

Director: Nag Ashwin

Cast: Prabhas,Amitabh Bachchan,Deepika Padukone,Disha Patani,Kamal Haasan,Rana Daggubati,Ss Rajamouli,Dulquer Salmaan,Ram Gopal Varma,Jagapathi Babu,Gaurav chopra

Writer: Nag Ashwin

Rating: 4

Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Kamal Haasan have finally brought in the much-awaited dystopian sci-fi movie Kalki 2898 AD. The movie directed by Nag Ashwin brings in a story that originates from the tales of the Hindu epic Mahabharata and the prophecized 10th avatar of Lord Vishnu, according to the myth.

With an ensemble cast of actors like Disha Patani, Rajendra Prasad, Shobana, Anna Ben, Saswata Chatterjee, Brahmanandam, and many more, the film encapsulates a large tale. With cameo performances by Dulquer Salmaan and Vijay Deverakonda already confirmed by the makers, here is the Pinkvilla review for the movie Kalki 2898 AD.

The Plot:

The story of Kalki 2898 AD starts at the end of Mahabharata’s Kurukshetra War, marking the beginning of the Kali Yuga in the year 3102 BC. After the events of Mahabharata, Ashwatthama is entrusted by Lord Krishna to protect his final avatar when the time is right.

6000 years later, in 2898 AD, the world has become dreadful for most people who live under the fear of the proclaimed god known as Supreme Yaskin. While most people strive to please him and get a humble abode in his resourceful land called Complex, others rebel against him and his atrocities.

As all rays of hope seem to diminish for the people, a new light seemingly takes place in the form of an unborn child in SUM-80 alias Sumathi’s womb. With Yaskin and his followers set to extract the life source out of the child, an epic tale brews which sets up the rest of the film.

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The Good:

Kalki 2898 AD is truly an epic tale that is meant for every movie lover who enjoys watching mythological tales and science fiction action thrillers. The movie headlined by Prabhas features him as Bhairava, a bounty hunter whose only dream is to reach the Complex and have a lavish life. As always, the Rebel Star personified a charming and magnetic screen presence which makes us want to hoot and cheer for him as soon as he appears on the screen.

However, the biggest show stealer from the movie would be Amitabh Bachchan as Ashwatthama. The actor once again established why he is the veteran superstar of Indian cinema with his action sequences and demeanor who would go to great extends to fulfill his duty. The combination of scenes between Big B and Prabhas gives birth to some of the finest combat sequences that have existed in Indian cinema.

Besides these two stars, the movie features Kamal Haasan as the Supreme Yaskin and Deepika as Sumathi, who were diabolical in the characters given to them. Taking Haasan’s name in particular, the actor only gave a screen time of a few minutes that too in just a couple of scenes, but in just a matter of moments, we can sense his strong presence which makes us anxious about what he has planned next.

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Disha Patani also makes an appearance as Bhairava’s love interest which gives a truly fresh chemistry on the screen, despite the subplot being a bit random. Furthermore, many characters are played by some interesting celebrities who made cameo appearances in the film which are surely going to be a treat for many people.

Coming to the other aspects of the movie, Kalki 2898 AD stands strong on a well-written screenplay which goes hand-in-hand with the visually stunning camera work. The shots captured by Djordje Stojiljkovic transport us into a new world seamlessly without having to make us question the likelihood of all the events happening.

The directorial execution by Nag Ashwin with his highly creative and imaginative story presents a movie that creates goosebumps as we watch. The way the director intertwines the storylines and characters into a vast world like this is commendable. Besides the director’s efforts, the musical expertise of Santhosh Narayanan once again adds the necessary factors to make this dystopian world a treat to watch, making us thump in excitement.

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Finally, the production design by Nitin Zihani Choudhary and the editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao is undoubtedly a worthy factor in this epic story making its way to the masses.

The Bad:

Kalki 2898 AD is an epic movie as it comes which is reminiscent of great Hollywood films like Star Wars and Dune. However, the flick did have some letdowns in the first half which made it a bit barring and struggling to continue organically.

Many of the scenes featuring Prabhas in the introduction had a few comical cues which made it a bit off the topic and rather appeared as a pure fan service. The heroic element of the character is presented in a truly dynamic way in the second half which was far superior to the latter.

Besides the inorganic comic reliefs, the subplot of Anna Ben’s character Kyra did not serve a big emotional connection as much as it was instigated to become. Moreover, even though the film encapsulates a global scale of events with multiple characters coming together from various origins, they all seem to speak a single language but even then can’t seem to get rid of their accents.

The Performance:

Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, and Deepika Padukone lead this epic show on their shoulders, giving a never-before-seen experience for film lovers in India. The potential of the world created by Nag Ashwin was shown only a glimpse through this movie and the characters already gave a peek of who they truly are, leaving us wanting more out of the world.

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Besides the lead characters and a stellar performance by Kamal Haasan, the film boasted an ensemble cast of actors like Rajendra Prasad, Shobhana, Saswata Chatterjee, and many more who made their presence known in just a matter of minutes. Moreover, the comedic timing of Brahmanandam gave a few laughs with Keerthy Suresh voicing the AI Droid vehicle Bujji with a persona unique as it comes.

The Verdict:

The movie Kalki 2898 AD is just the beginning of a cinematic universe that has the potential to become the greatest experience in Indian cinema. With each character serving their own purposes, the film successfully connects the world of sci-fi and myth under a single umbrella.

If you are a lover of films which has a grand scale, epic narration, amazing visuals, groundbreaking performances, and unbelievable storytelling, then surely watch this feast of a movie in the screens near you.

Check out the Kalki 2898 AD release trailer:


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About The Author

Goutham S is a native of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. A writer for a few years now, particularly following Indian

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