Kalki 2898 AD

 

Kalki 2898 AD (stylised as Kalki 2898 − A.D; pronounced [kə.l.kɪ]) is an upcoming 2024 Indian epic dystopian science fiction action film written and directed by Nag Ashwin. Produced by C. Aswani Dutt under Vyjayanthi Movies, it was shot primarily in Telugu with some scenes re-shot in Hindi.^[4][5] Inspired by Hindu scriptures, the film is set in a post-apocalyptic world, in the year 2898 AD. The film features Prabhas in the lead role with an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone, Disha Patani, and Brahmanandam in prominent roles.^[6]  

First announced in February 2020, Kalki's production faced a year's delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming finally began in July 2021 at a futuristic set at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad, and continued sporadically in several legs over the next three years before wrapping in March 2024. Made on a ₹600 crore (US$72 million) production budget, Kalki is one of the most expensive Indian films. Its music is scored by Santhosh Narayanan, with cinematography by Djordje Stojiljkovic, production design by Nitin Zihani Choudhary and editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao.^[7] The film is supposed to be the first motion picture instalment of the proposed Kalki Cinematic Universe.^[8]

Kalki 2898 AD was initially scheduled to release on 9 May 2024, but was postponed due to the 2024 Indian general election. It is now slated for a worldwide theatrical release on June 27, 2024, in IMAX^[9], 3D^[10], and various other film formats.^[11][12]

Premise and themes

In 2898 AD, the desertified city of Kasi is now the only city known to exist, ruled by a totalitarian elite, led by Supreme Yaskin, from a hovering inverted-pyramidal-megastructure above the city, known as the "Complex". Set against the backdrop of ancient Indian Hindu mythology and a dystopian society, the story chronicles the journey spanning millennia, from the events of the Mahabharata in the year 3102 BC, the beginning of Kali Yuga, to 2898 AD. The core of the narrative revolves around the arrival of enigmatic figure of Kalki, the tenth and final avatar of the Hindu deity, Vishnu.^[13]

Cast

• Prabhas as Bhairava, a bounty hunter^[14]
• Amitabh Bachchan as Ashwatthama^[15]
• Kamal Haasan as Supreme Yaskin, the proclaimed god of the Complex^[16]
• Deepika Padukone as Sumathi or SUM-80, a pregnant lab subject^[17]
• Disha Patani as Roxie^[18]
• Rajendra Prasad^[19]
• Shobhana as Mariam^[20]
• Saswata Chatterjee as Commander Manas^[21]
• Brahmanandam as Rajan, Bhairava's landlord^[22]
• Pasupathy as Veeran, a rebel from Shambhala^[a]
• Anna Ben as Kyra, Veeran's associate and a rebel from Shambhala^[a]
• Malvika Nair as Uttara^[25]
• Keerthy Suresh as BU-JZ-1 alias Bujji, Bhairava's companion AI droid/vehicle (voice-over)^[22]