‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ proved why Amitabh Bachchan is truly the immortal god of acting
Amitabh Bachchan’s performance as Ashwatthama is the best thing about ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. At the age of 81, he shows you why he is the only megastar of the century.
‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ gives you a chance to revisit your knowledge about the epic ‘Mahabharata’ in the most modern way. It also gives you plenty of time to reminisce about the stories you heard in your childhood. ‘Gandivadhari’ Arjuna, Lord Krishna, his curse and the destruction of an entire generation on earth. But, most of all, it gives you a chance to witness the grandeur and glory of Ashwatthama, the son of Sage Dronacharya, who is immortal and wanders around the planet in search of the only hope that can save the world and himself: the ‘Kalki’ avatar of Lord Vishnu.
In ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, director Nag Ashwin has imagined a post-apocalypse world and has handed over the reins of this world to ‘Acharya’. Son‘ Himself… for now. His duty is to protect the divine incarnation who is going to be born 6000 years after the battle of Kurukshetra. Enter Amitabh Bachchan. He plays the role of the mighty Ashwatthama and shows that he is the only one who can do this.
The first half of the film doesn’t give you a clear perspective of what is going to happen, where the story is headed or what the story actually is. However, as the second half comes closer, you slowly realise that it was probably a trap laid by Ashwin. He cleverly confuses you before the interval and surprises you with every single scene in the second half. Bachchan, in his larger-than-life role, remains the most interesting part of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. He is sharp in his acting skills, carrying the entire momentum of the film on his shoulders. This is the ‘angry young man’ we always knew and yet much more than that.
Bachchan as Ashwatthama makes it difficult for you to focus on anything else happening in the film. He is the drama, the action, the emotion and the story himself. Remember ‘Ajoobaa’, ‘Hum’, ‘Don’, ‘Zanjeer’, ‘Deewar’ and all those movies from the 70s and 80s in which the actor did the most heroic action? His presence in ‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ is more heroic than all these heroes put together. It’s almost as if he is telling his 30-year-old self not to mess with him in the 80s. This is by far the most flamboyant look you have seen him in on screen. In a scene when he meets Deepika Padukone’s Sumati for the first time, his facial expressions light up the screen. Bachchan makes this whole reimagining seem real. You put your faith in him, and he never disappoints. His swift gait speaks of the strength of his character and his small, kohl-lined eyes reflect the deep longing that defines Ashvatthama’s existence. Kali YugaRight from his first scene, Bachchan’s demeanour is that of a man who is the literal definition of ‘the calm before the storm’. Even when he simply says ‘Maa’, he becomes a true reflection of his years of experience and his command over the language. The actor always has his skills under control. In ‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’, Amitabh Bachchan is the only actor who understands the homework.
Especially in the climax, when he has to step back, you see him rise higher than ever. He may not be at the forefront of the story, but Bachchan always makes you look for him on screen. When was the last time you missed an actor when he wasn’t in a particular frame? The power of Bachchan’s presence in ‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ is enormous. He becomes both the heart and soul of the film, where so much is happening, including heavy CGI work and surprising cameos. Once you start looking at him, you don’t see anything else. From the outside, it may look like Nag Ashwin’s Kalki cinematic universe, but as you get closer, you realise that it is entirely Bachchan’s world, and you are simply living in it.
