Kalki – 2898 AD: Visual Masterpiece Undone By Sketchy Script

The dystopian world of Kalki -2898 AD assumes comprehensibility as it draws to a close, then it suddenly veers into a tangent unfamiliar to even those conversant with the timeless epic, The Mahabharat. It’s a twist that leaves you intrigued. What next? The suspense introduced in the end is the best part of the movie, not exactly what transpires during its 3-hour runtime.

Ashwatthama, who was cursed to immortality and isolation by Lord Krishna for his vile acts during the Kurukshetra war, is a complex character in the epic. A victim of unfairness during the war – his father Guru Dronacharya, a master at advanced weapons and the royal teacher of the Kauravas and Pandavas, was killed by deception – he gets punished when he unleashes his wrath on the unborn children of the Pandavas. As an act of redemption he has to protect the woman who would bear Kalki, the 10th incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the destroyer of Kaliyug, in her womb. Very interesting premise to mount a movie. The universe of our mythology is a treasure house for great scripts; sadly it remains poorly explored.

Nag Ashwin’s movie meanders too long between the Complex, the megastructure above ancient Kashi, and home to Project K, and Shambhal, the underworld populated by rebels waiting for the deliverer, in the first half. Also, a lot of time is wasted on the character of opportunistic bounty-hunter Bhairav (Prabhas). The movie kicks to life and finds gravitas after the introduction of Ashwatthama, played by Amitabh Bachchan. The pieces fall together and gain coherence in the second half. The director leaves the plot hanging and the audience anticipating more in the end. That, interestingly, is the highpoint of the movie. But the proceedings so far convey the impression that the director was too fixated on the sequel to devote full energy to the film at hand. Every film, by rule, should be complete by itself, which Kalki – 2898 AD is not.

Sci-fi meets mythology in this cameo-heavy and VFX-driven work via liberal inspiration from Hollywood movies Mad Max, Dune, The Handmaid’s Tale, and offers the viewer a visual experience that has no parallel in India. It redefines the spectacular through grand sets, aerial action scenes and general creative brilliance. Djordje Stojiljkovic, the Belgrade-based Serbian filmmaker, creates fascinating worlds for us to imagine and savour.

Kalki – 2898 AD is an out-and-out Amitabh Bachchan movie – sorry Prabhas, you are only a showpiece. The film would have worked even if you were not in the mix. At 81, Amitabh proves he was and still is the original action star of Indian movies. His screen presence, like always, is awesome, and as Ashwatthama here he proves why he is irreplaceable by any other young star around. Deepika is good as the ‘Mother’ but the role doesn’t demand much from her. Kamal Haasan as Supreme Yaskin, evokes menace, but an incomplete story takes the punch away from his role.

The important takeaway from the movie: Indians are getting better at VFX and they would soon match Hollywood in visuals. But they have to learn more about how to keep a script tight and engaging.

(By Arrangement With Perspective Bytes)