Kalki 2898 AD: A Cinematic Spectacle with Epic Ambition and Flaws

Watching it almost a week after release, Kalki brought out the euphoria in me just like it did for those watching the first day early morning show. The film has that captivating effect on you despite being tad sluggish and bit off-track at times...it deserves an A just for its sheer ambition and effort.

Set in a dystopian era of 2898 AD, the plot cleverly blends hi-tech VFX and AI with the revered Hindu epic Mahabharat. The immortal Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan) sets out to save the unborn child of a refugee Sum-80 (Deepika Padukone), destined to be the next Lord Vishnu avatar Kalki. The earth is now controlled from Kashi city by the two hundred years old Supreme Yaskin (Kamal Haasan), who needs the serum from Sum-80's womb to attain supernatural powers. The third angle comprises a vagabond bounty hunter Bhairava (Prabhas), who wants to enter Supreme's megastructured 'complex' to lead a luxurious life with Roxie (Disha Patani). He plans to capture Sum-80 for Supreme and gain access to the complex in return.

Thematically, I found Kalki an Indianised interpretation of James Cameron's Terminator (1984), where Sarah Connor is being hunted down to kill her unborn son John and eventually protected to ensure that she gives birth to that child. There are lot of other Hollywood influences as well right from Star Wars (1977) and The Matrix (1999) to The Transformers (2007).

Having said that, Kalki will certainly qualify as an ambitious concept by itself and boasts of technical finesse and VFX never seen before in Indian cinema. The look and feel here is of a world clsss product. Full marks to that!!

On the flipside, the sluggish pace in first half could have been avoided. Prabhas' introduction scene leading to an elaborate fight, is overstretched to a drag. The entire Disha Patani sequence appears irrelevant (unless her character will play a significant role in the next installment). Overall, Kalki could easily be trimmed by half hour to make it a crisp two hours thirty minutes movie.

To his credit, Nag Ashwin has a mega vision and even does full justice to his big budget but this film probably needed S.S. Rajamouli in the director's chair instead of playing the cameo as a bounty hunter.

The performances are first rate. Prabhas is once again in full form after Salaar (2023) and suits the role to perfection. His fans will love him as Bhairava. Deepika Padukone is impressive as Sum-80 (later renamed Sumathi), though it sounds odd when she is constantly referred as "Maa". :) Kamal Haasan leaves a mighty mark in just two scenes he gets. It is nice to see the ever graceful Shobana in a Hindi movie after ages.

Towering above all, Kalki belongs to Amitabh Bachchan, who is absolutely awesome as the inmortal Ashwatthama. In one scene, he is referred to as the "angry giant man". So very true, guys. At eighty one years, Bachchan is still BOSS!!

Ratings on some key aspects* :
1. Acting : 4.5/5
2. Direction : 3/5
3. Music : 2.5/5
4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 3.5/5
5. Cinematography : 4/5
6. Editing : 3/5
7. Costume Design : 4/5
8. Special Effects and VFX : 5/5
9. Action : 5/5
10. Production Quality : 5/5

#SNRating for #Kalki2898AD : 3 & 1/2 stars out of 5.

- Sumeet Nadkarni

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* - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others.

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#SNRatings barometer:
1 star = Poor
1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable
2 stars = Average
2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it
3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable
3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch
4 stars = Very good
5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding.

2024 SNRatings.  

About Sumeet Nadkarni:

 

Sumeet Nadkarni is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a self-styled film critic by passion. He reviews Bollywood movies and OTT releases on his popular personal blog #SNRatings. His film-related articles have appeared in leading publications in India. With a keen eye for cinematic detail and a knack for insightful critiques, Sumeet brings a unique perspective to the world of Indian cinema. Follow him for the latest Bollywood insights and unbiased film reviews. #FilmCritique #BollywoodReviewer

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