Myth Meets Futurism: Kalki 2898 AD Arrives on OTT, Dazzling But Disconnected

Only, even the high point of Amitabh Bachchan as Ashwathama in Kalki 2898 AD was not enough to rescue the film.

One of the many appreciation posts for the Imtiaz Ali movie Rockstar(2011), the anonymous user said that "Ranbir Kapoor's performance was so outstanding that it masked Nargis Fakhri's flaws." Now, does this purportedly rhetorical question beg another one: Can the performance of one actor lift an entire cast and storyline? The answer seems to be a firm no.

Only, even the high point of Amitabh Bachchan as Ashwathama in Kalki 2898 AD was not enough to rescue the film.

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Kalki 2898 AD, though a blockbuster when it was released, has come to the OTT platforms only now. The Nag Ashwin-helmed one is far less remarkable than the extensive pre-buzz that it came with. It is a brave move on Ashwin's part to even think the thought of making a mythological into sci-fi. He is blending the old story with the science-fiction universe. But the task is difficult, and it is too much for the man to handle. The movie fails in every aspect, right from a haphazard plot to underdeveloped and weak character sketches. The already complex epic, therefore becomes even more cumbersome at the hands of Ashwin by using a large array of characterizations spanning different mythologies of religions right from the usage of Maryam or Rumi characters that distanced the audience from the basic storyline of the movie.
 

Ironically, he was supposed to save the future—Amitabh Bachchan—yet saves Kalki 2898 AD from being a thorough dud. He is great in every scene and his fighting sequences are inspiring. As the last man standing since Mahabharata, Bachchan reiterates that he is one of the best actors of Hindi Cinema.
 

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As for Prabhas, he doesn't do much more but plays Bhairava very simplistically which is a disappointment since this character was so much more, considering he was the Karna avatar. Deepika Padukone just sleeps through her role as 'Mother' of God; the money paid to the film's makers isn't worth it, and the audience still finds itself waiting to watch that memorable Deepika Padukone role. Kamal Haasan performs well, but the role for the character could have been of much more; hopefully, lots more can be expected of him in the sequel.

Kalki 2898 AD is nothing short of a visual spectacle. VFX and CGI work are exemplary, and this does justice to the big screen. Whether it's Kashi, the utopian city of Shambhala, or the Mahabharata's opening sequences, the filmmaking crew has gotten the visuals pitch-perfect—to some point contributing to the success of the film at the box office.

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There is, however, a worrying trend in Hindi cinema where, much like Brahmāstra, RRR, and now Kalki, it becomes merely an accessory to big-ticket theatricals. The repetition of similar visual aesthetics across films contributes to a growing sense of sameness.

Latching on to the bandwagon of these big-budgeted Pan-India films, this magnum opus too concludes in a dramatic way as the climax assures the audience of a sequel that will surely be better executed by Nag Ashwin this time around.

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Kalki 2898 AD on Amazon Prime and Netflix.

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