At last, the wait is over! The trailer for Kalki 2898 AD was eventually shown by the film’s creators on Monday, following a plethora of posters, teases and delays. This post-apocalyptic film, which is based on Hindu texts and is directed by Nag Ashwin, is set in the year 2898 AD. Amitabh Bachchan plays the immortal Ashwatthama in the film, while Prabhas plays the Hindu god Vishnu’s avatar Bhairava. In notable roles are Deepika Padukone, Kamal Haasan, and Disha Patani in the cast as well.
The 183-second teaser, which introduces us to the intriguing world of Bhairava, more than makes up for the delays and dearth of promotional materials thus far. Children learn about Kaashi, the first city in the new world, at the beginning of the programme. The continuous struggle for dominance and the persistent subjugation of the poor are made clear as the teaser goes on. On the other hand, it also portends the resurgence of a 6,000-year-old power. Bhairava, who has “never lost a fight to date,” enters the scene. But this fight won’t be simple for him because the last scene of the trailer shows him facing the powerful evil (Kamal). The devil announces, “Fret not, a new era is arriving,” laying the groundwork for the decisive conflict.
Director Nag Ashwin recently talked about Kalki 2898 AD’s stance of religion and why he is not concerned about it, especially in light of the divisive political environment. Speaking to Deadline, Ashwin mentioned that the film “does not involve any characters actively worshipped by large numbers of Hindus”. He also stressed that the movie’s narrative should be interpreted subjectively rather than strictly through a religious lens. “Of course, if you tell it in the Indian context there will be a bit of devotion and emotion, but I feel any story can be dealt with subjectively without bringing a religious connotation,” he said.
Kalki 2898 AD, with an estimated $75 million budget, is expected to be one of the most costly and ambitious projects in India. The movie hopes to have a worldwide release in 2022, following in the footsteps of SS Rajamouli’s RRR. With the global box office success of Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire, Prabhas’ run of bad films came to an end. With Kalki 2898 AD, the actor hopes to build on his previous return after a string of underperforming flicks.
Kalki 2898 AD, which was first supposed to be released on May 9 but was delayed, will now make its world premiere on June 27.
