Kalki 2898 review: Big B, not Prabhas, stands out in visually powerful film
Overall, 'Kalki 2898 AD' is an ambitious film anchored on Nag Ashwin and his team's impeccable creative vision. But a slow-paced first half and other minor flaws bring down the film
'Kalki 2898 AD', Telugu film director Nag Ashwin’s futuristic drama, begins by linking the epic Mahabharata’s Ashwattama and his curse by Lord Krishna to a futuristic world hinging on the hope of the birth of the Kalki avatar to save mankind.
Though Kalki 2898 AD has been promoted as a Telugu film anchored by Prabhas, the real hero of this fictional spectacle turns out to be Amitabh Bachchan.
Bachchan stands tall
Nag Ashwin has given an exemplary heroic makeover to the veteran superstar who stands tall (almost 8 feet in the film). Not just the physical appearance, the actor hogs and dominates the big screen with many clap-worthy heroic moments. His baritone voice is another huge advantage in this futuristic adventure.
After Bachchan, Deepika Padukone’s character gets a solid elevation as she is the one who carries the child (the much-anticipated Kalki avatar). In one particular intermission sequence she really shines.
Prabhas’ character works only partly. For example, in the first half of the film, his character comes across as lethargic and it’s a strain to watch. Though Nag Ashwin has tried to give Prabhas a comic makeover, the one-liners between Bhairava (Prabhas) and his car Bujji (Keerthy Suresh’s voice over) doesn’t land well in the first half of the film.
More promising second half
But in the second half, thankfully, Prabhas’ character comes alive and fans can sit back and enjoy some solid moments. The face-off between Amitabh Bachchan and Prabhas in the climax is powerful.
Disha Patani has been wasted in a poorly written role but on the other hand, Anna Ben, who only comes for a few minutes, steals the show.
Veteran Kamal Haasan only comes for around 20 minutes in the film but his references are peppered all through the movie. Kamal’s transformation in the post credit sequence gives a lot of hope for the second part of the film.
Interestingly, Prabhas gets a makeover towards the climax too and so, the epic battle featuring him and the veterans — Kamal and Bachchan – will be exciting for the audiences who seek a sequel to the film.
Among the other actors, Shobana and Pasupathi have a few eye-catching moments in the film. There are no other memorable characters sketched by Nag Ashwin in this film. However, there are some memorable cameos by Dulquer Salmaan, Vijay Devarakonda, Rajamouli, Ram Gopal Varma, and Mrunal Thakur.
Needless detours
Nag Ashwin’s idea of connecting the epic Mahabharata to a fictional future world is definitely interesting but he takes so much time to establish the characters and his premise. The actual film begins only after the interval. All those needless detours could’ve been easily avoided and the makers could have very easily chopped off twenty minutes of the film.
Technically, Santhosh Narayanan’s songs are not up to the mark but he compensates with his powerful background score. The visual effects team, production designer, costume design, action choreographers and cinematographer deserve applause for their monumental work in this film.
Overall, 'Kalki 2898 AD' is an ambitious film anchored on Nag Ashwin and his team's impeccable creative vision. But on the downside, the film has a few hiccups, especially, in the first half. Had the team worked more on the film's pace and the other minor flaws, this could’ve been a landmark movie in Indian cinema.
For now, this film can be watched in theaters for its grand production values, a stellar cast and crew along with a new interpretation of our epic Mahabharata.