What’s common between mythology and sci-fi? They are expansive imaginations rooted in past evidence and present technological advancements. Both emerge from the human mind and will likely die with human civilization. Something that is also common with both genres is how they embody brilliant figments of our imagination. Kalki 2898 A.D is no different. 

Director Nag Ashwin has put everything in this mythos-sci-fi mixture: a bit of romance, loads of action-packed sequences, religious fervor, the symbolism of Hindu Gods Vishnu and Shiva, as well as possible future world problems such as the widespread infertility in women, complete dependence on artificial insemination, a ban on worshiping Gods, a few influential people keeping all of the earth’s resources and a Mars-like atmosphere in the rest of the planet. And, of course, there’s a dictator who wants to be the only God.

Too many cooks spoil the broth, precisely what happened with Kalki 2898 A.D. 

Although the movie stars Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Prabhas, and Kamal Haasan hold lead roles, innumerable actors and directors make cameos. They don’t add much to the story (except maybe Anna Ben). The first half is one and a half hours long, and you begin to wonder if you should just give up and leave. But how can you? There’s so much confusion over what’s happening that you feel the need to know where all of it may lead to. And Aswaththama, the protagonist, hasn’t made a proper entry yet. The second half is where things get interesting. But it’s too late to save the movie because the lack of a strong storyline is extremely apparent.

Here’s a bit about the story now: Hindu mythology says Lord Vishnu will reincarnate as Kalki to end the evil Kali Yuga and usher in a golden age. Kalki 2898 A.D depicts this theory, set in a future Earth ravaged by humanity, where people await Kalki’s arrival but wonder how He can come in such a barren world. 

The film starts very impressively with a scene from The Mahabharata in which Aswaththama invokes the Brahmastra (the strongest of weapons) to kill the unborn child of Abhimanyu and earns the wrath of Krishna who curses Aswaththama – he will not die till the end of time. His body will decay, and he will beg for death to come, but it will not. The only recourse Aswaththama has is to wait for Kalki’s arrival and protect Him when He comes. And so we have a powerful performance by Amitabh Bachchan as Aswaththama. Honestly, he is the only character worth watching. It’s a treat to watch 81-year-old Mr. Bachchan in action, dropping immense structures easily and adding such physical finesse to his performance and his long journey as an actor. He is Aswaththama, the Warrior, but also Aswaththama, a remorseful 8-foot-tall and several centuries-old man awaiting his emancipation. 

The other two lead actors don’t add much. Deepika Padukone has been reduced to a pregnant damsel-in-distress. Prabhas as Bhairava is too painful and annoying to watch. His fight sequences add nothing to the plot, yet they drag on. It takes a long time for the audience to figure out what’s happening. The amazing VFX keeps the people hooked, and the 3D touch allows them to watch the entire movie. Unfortunately, despite the technical achievements,  you leave the theater wondering what happened the whole time (mind you, it’s a three-hour-long film).

Kalki 2898 A.D. is not an entire failure for Nag Ashwin, though. The movie has managed to inspire the new generation to research The Mahabharata. Many mythological epics have made a comeback in recent times and Kalki 2898 A.D. adds to making mythology look cool. Who knows? Kalki, the tenth incarnation of Vishnu, might come on a jet-powered vehicle and be a tech-pro guy with devices instead of a bow & arrow in his hand. He might look like a Terminator fella instead of a bare-chested, crown-wearing King-like figure. This possibility is used by the movie makers, and it succeeds in igniting this curiosity about Vishnu’s Dashavatar (the ten incarnations) amongst the young masses. 

Kalki 2998 A.D. had a lot of potential and enormous talent, considering it starred the best actors from Hindi and South Indian movie industries. Too bad it became a mess and entangled the audience. I hope the next part is better and more impressive, if not completely true to the story it wants to promote. 

Review Courtesy of Neha Jha

Feature Image Credit to Annapurna Studios via Variety