In 2015 SS Rajamouli’s ‘Baahubali’ released and it stunned everyone. To date, both the ‘Baahubali’ films have not only broken box office records but also set a benchmark for similar films. Almost a decade later, director Nag Ashwin gifted ‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ with bigger ambitions, which is based on a dystopian world. With futuristic ideas mixed with Hindu mythology, this film will definitely stun you, just like ‘Baahubali’ did.

Thousands of years after the Mahabharata war, Kashi becomes the last city in the world. And the world is ruled by Supreme Yaskin (Kamal Haasan), who is waiting for the magical serum to gain powers. The poor people in the city suffer while the rich enjoy their lives in the Complex, a place built for the privileged. Bhairava (Prabhas) dreams of making a place in the Complex. He is a bounty hunter who does odd jobs to earn units that can help him get his place in the Complex.

Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan), who is from a different era, lives to fulfill his responsibility. Also, there is a pregnant Sumati (Deepika Padukone), who runs away from the complex to save her life. What does she have to do with Ashwatthama and the complex? How will she change things for Bhairava and the world?

Director Nag Ashwin’s vision for ‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ is ambitious. With exciting ideas and a worthy story, he does his duty as a filmmaker. The story, though starts off slow, turns into an interesting tale once the filmmaker introduces the world he has created. Till then, we see episodes about Ashwatthama, Sumati and Bhairava, which may seem inconsistent. And a bit of patience is required, especially in the scenes involving Bhairava and Roxy (Disha Patani). In fact, these moments seem to slow down the narrative.

Watch the trailer here:

Amitabh Bachchan’s Ashwathama is the biggest strength of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. His screen presence and mannerisms, as well as his intense baritone voice make us believe that he is *Ashwatthama*. Meanwhile, Prabhas gets a comedy role, which turns serious in the second half. His comedy timing worked in parts, but he really shines in the action episodes, which are the backbone of the film.

Deepika Padukone’s Sumati acts as the catalyst for ‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ and she helps us move through the story while keeping us glued to our seats. Kamal Haasan’s Yaskin appears in a cameo but he is quite menacing. There is a lot of curiosity about Yaskin and what he became.

The supporting cast like Shobana, Pasupathi and Anna Ben have done their best. But, Shobana’s character and her performance brought the film to a turning point.

Talking about the plot, the first half of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is a bit disappointing. Nag Ashwin has taken cinematic liberties by adding many scenes that do not add value to the story. Whether it is Prabhas’ very long introduction scene or the unnecessary dance scene involving Prabhas and Disha, all these scenes seem designed only to garner applause from the audience.

Nag Ashwin could have also added a little more drama to make it impactful. While the emotional arc worked towards the climax, it could have been included right from the beginning.

Composer Santosh Narayanan brought life to this film with his background music. The elevation scenes of Prabhas, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan became epic because of his music.

Director Nag Ashwin deserves a big pat on the back for blending Indian mythology and the futuristic world together. Like ‘Bahubali’, ‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ also ends on a cliffhanger and paves the way for a new cinematic world. The surprise cameos, even if leaked by Prabhas himself, were excellent dramatic moments.

‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ is a visually stunning film that will give you goosebumps, especially during the action sequences.

There is nothing special in the 3D version of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. It is better to watch it in 2D.