Prabhas is gearing up for the release of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, one of the biggest films of year. Director Nag Ashwin’s magnum opus has become the talk of the town as it brings together several celebrated names from the film fraternity. The official trailer of Kalki 2898 AD will be released on Monday (June 10) and this has created a great deal of buzz among fans. The eagerly-awaited video is expected to give the audience some clarity regarding its well-guarded storyline. Based on what we know about the film, here is a look at what makes ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ a potential gamechanger for Indian cinema
Prabhas, who emerged as a pan-India brand with Baahubali 2 (2017), is one of the stars who can get a good opening at the box office irrespective of the genre and the word of mouth. He gave strong proof of this when ‘Adipurush’ collected an impressive Rs 138 crore globally on the first day despite negative reviews. Similarly, the romantic drama Radhe Shyam raked in an impressive Rs 79 crore at the worldwide box office on the first day even though it did not have any mass elements. Given Prabhas’ star power, one can expect ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ to put up a good show at least over the first weekend.
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ features Deepika Padukone as the leading lady and marks her Telugu debut. It is also her first film with the ‘Salaar’ star.. Nag Ashwin illustrated his ability to write well-fleshed-out female characters on the big screen with ‘Mahanati’, a biographical drama based on yesteryear icon Savitri’s life. Going by his brand of storytelling, one can expect ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ to explore the challenges faced by the character and her inner turmoil. The recently released poster, which features Deepika in an intense avatar, suggests the same. In other words, the film might give the star of films such as ‘Padmaavat’ and ‘Chhapaak’ a fleshed-out character to sink her teeth into.
While not a lot is known about the exact storyline of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, the first glimpse video suggested that the film will centre on a saviour’s fight against oppression in a dystopian world. If this is indeed the case, the film might explore the conflict between “good” and “evil”, a relatable theme that has stood the test of time. The film may also feature some comedy and action/chage sequences, going by the ‘Bujji and Bhairava’ promos.
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is a pan-India film in the truest sense as it brings together some of the biggest names from across the fraternity. The film is headlined by Prabhas, who needs no introduction given his work in films such as ‘Baahubali’ and ‘Salaar’. Joining him is Deepika Padukone. She is regarded as one of Bollywood’s biggest names. She also appeared in the Hollywood film ‘XXX: Return of Xander Cage’.
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The supporting cast includes the legendary Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan. ‘Ulaganatagan’ is a revered name in Tamil cinema. Additionally, he has floored audiences with his work in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films.
The cast also includes Pasupathy and Saswata Chatterjee, established names in Tamil and Bengali cinema respectively. Additionally, veteran Telugu actors Brahmanandam and Rajendra Prasad in key roles.
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ was initially supposed to hit screens on May 9 but that did not happen because of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The makers then decided to release it on June 27, is the ideal date for the biggie. The film is unlikely to face competition from ‘Chandu Champion’ as the sports drama, currently slated to release on June 14, will be in its third week by the time Kalki 2898 AD hits screens. Prabhas’ film will also enjoy a free run in theatres for two weeks till Indian 2 premieres in theatres on July 12.