I jumped into Kalki 2898 AD the moment it came on Netflix. The movie has received mixed reviews and I knew that it doesn’t live upto the standards expected of a film based on such a grand theme; but the concept is enticing enough for me to give it a shot. I daresay Nag Ashwin’s directorial debut is a roller coaster ride. The first half requires some supplement so that you can stay awake and await the real action to begin. The second half is where the movie picks up some pace – and – ends exactly where the story starts.
Good things first – Amitabh Bacchan is an enigma. The man was born to play most of the roles he’s played in his lifetime, but Ashwatthama might very well be his top three. Ashwatthama is an immortal man with a gaping wound on his forehead awaiting the arrival of Kalki so that he can be liberated from his immortality curse cast by Lord Krishna in Dwapara Yuga. He was cursed because he did a terrible thing by directing the Bramhastra at the unborn child of Abhimanyu with an ambition to annihilate the Pandava lineage; but he’s had two whole millennia to atone his sins and await Krishna’s arrival in Kali Yuga. Amitabh Bacchan has played Ashwatthama with everything he’s got – we cannot imagine anyone else playing the role. He’s eons old, yet strong and imposing. Mr. Bacchan has that overpowering presence on screen that screams silent, reflective power, and he is undeniably the best part of Kalki 2898 AD.
The story is an imagined version of how Kalki will take birth towards the end of Kali Yuga. Nag Ashwin has done a fair job envisioning how the end of Kali Yuga will look like, where the world is supposed to be dystopia. The science fiction of the future is impressive enough. The embodiment of ‘bad’ in the form of Supreme Yaskin (played by Kamal Hassan) who lives within a complex in Kashi is also curious. It will be interesting to watch the next part where Yaskin comes into his power and unleashes himself against Ashwatthama, Sumathi (the pregnant woman currently carrying Kalki, played by Deepika Padukone) and whatever good is left in the world.
Why there is a tiresome desperation in the portrayal of Prabhas in the movie, I do not understand. What Nag Ashwin was trying to do in the first half with ‘Bhairava’ (Prabhas’s character) went right above my head and almost lulled me into sleep. There is also some confusion regarding what his character is after all – initially he is projected as a version of ‘Kaala Bhairava’ and eventually transformed into an incarnation of Karna from Mahabharata; both being two distinct identities that cannot logically be merged into one person. Hopefully there will be more clarity in the sequel but I hope with all my heart that a talent like Prabhas is treated better and made right use of, instead of being swung around as a comic character first and then a legendary hero from Dwapara Yuga.
The screenplay is magical where there are sequences from the Mahabharata war. Ashwatthama’s flashbacks from the 18 days make up the best scenes in the entire movie. Picturization of ‘Shambala’ – the last remaining social haven of Kali Yuga where Kalki is destined to be born – is convincing as well. There is also an impressive cast of cameos throughout. Kalki 2898 AD seems to have tried too hard to make the film appealing to all kinds of audiences, which was not necessary at all. The concept is a seller on its own – Nag Ashwin really could have directed his complete focus towards giving the theme full justice instead of making the film audience oriented.
Despite the fluctuations of the first movie, I have high hopes for the second part of Kalki. Mainly so because there is a story that narrates itself and all that the director and the cast needs to do is tell it well. I hope that the sequel can forgo the temptation to include tacky fight sequences, lame dialogues and unnecessary comedy using robots. I look forward to seeing how well the birth of Kalki and the roles of Ashwatthama and Karna in the process are interpreted and envisioned on-screen. Fingers crossed.
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