A
lot
of
time
is
spent
on
giving
us
the
background
of
the
story
and
establishing
the
characters
but
the
film
is
named Kalki and
the
man
is
not
even
born,
notes
A
Ganesh
Nadar.
Director
Nag
Ashwin
is
definitely
a
fan
of
Star
Wars,
and
we
see
that
in
his
latest
film,
Kalki
2898
AD,
in
the
desolate
landscape
and
the
rebels.
Instead
of
a
talking
robot,
we
have
a
talking
car.
An
incident
in
the
Mahabharat
is
the
basis
for
this
story.
Ashwatthama,
the
son
of
Dronacharya,
is
immortal.
When
he
fires
the
Brahmastra
and
Arjuna
counters
with
the
equally
lethal
Pasupatiastra,
both
with
catastrophic
qualities,
Krishna
asks
them
to
recall
the
weapons
as
mankind’s
existence
was
at
stake.
Arjuna
does
so
but Ashwatthama
does
not
know
how
to.
Krishna
then
redirects
the
Brahmastra
towards
Uttara’s
womb
carrying
the
Pandava
heir.
She
delivers
a
dead
child,
who
Krishna
later
goes
on
to
revive.
In
the
movie,
this
scene
ends
with
the
Brahmastra
strike
on
Uttara.
Krishna
curses Ashwatthama
that
he
will
always
roam
the
earth
begging
for
death,
and
pulls
out
his
third
eye
which
conferred
mystical
powers
on
Ashwatthama.
Cut
to
the
future,
a
thousand
years
from
now
(hence
the
2898
AD
in
the
title).
Deepika
Padukone
is
pregnant
in
a
laboratory,
and is
said
to
be
carrying
the
divine
child.
She
escapes
from
the
villain’s
lab.
The
villain,
played
by
a
weird-looking
prosthetic
Kamal
Haasan,
has
created
his
own
floating
world
in
the
air,
complete
with
forests,
rivers,
buildings
and
roads.
Called
Complex,
it
is
isolated
from
Earth,
which
is
devoid
of
water
and
oxygen.
Deepika
is
helped
by
rebels,
who
unlike
the
ones
in
Star
Wars,
are
better
organised,
armed
and
disciplined.
Dulquer
Salman
plays
a
cameo
as
Prabhas’s
father.
The
crux
of
the
story
is
that
the
villain
aka
Supreme
has
subdued
the
world
and
created
his
own.
The
Earthlings
can
go
there
to
work
but
have
to
return
after
the
job
is
done.
Prabhas
plays
a
bounty
hunter,
who
kidnaps
people
to
deliver
to
the
villain
who
pays
him
in
Units.
It
reminds
me
of
the
currency
in
the
film,
In
Time.
The
movie
starts
when
Amitabh
Bachchan,
playing
Ashwatthama,
wakes
up
after
a
6,000-year
slumber.
When
he
is
cursed, Ashwatthama
asks
Krishna
how
he
will
get
a
pardon.
Krishna
tells
him
that
in
his
next
and
last
avatar,
he
can
serve
him
and
that
will
lead
to
his
salvation.
Disha
Pattani
is
still
in
Yodha
mode,
and
does
some
action.
But
I
can’t
help
but
wonder
why
she’s
even
in
the
film. All
she
does
is
get
Prabhas
into
the
Complex.
Ashwatthama wakes
up
in
time
to
help
Deepika,
who
is
close
to
delivering
her
baby.
He
has
a
sidekick,
a
young
boy,
who
happens
to
carry
the
third
eye,
which Ashwatthama
fixes
back
with
pleasure.
He
regains
his
powers
and
that
helps
him
protect
Deepika
from
attacks.
The
head
of
the
rebel
town
is
Shobana,
a
mother-like
leader
till
she
has
to
defend
Deepika.
Then
she
transforms
into
an
Angeline
Jolie!
Prabhas
clashes
with
Ashwatthama,
as
he
wants
Deepika
for
the
bounty.
The
young
boy
with
Amitabh
asks
him,
‘How
can
he
be
a
better
fighter
than
you?’
‘There
was
a
better
fighter
than
me
in
the
Mahabharat,’
Amitabh replies.
‘Arjuna?’
the
young
boy
asks.
‘Not
Arjuna,
but
my
friend
Karna,’
he
replies.
So
we
learn
that
Prabhas
is
a
reincarnation
of
Karna.
Why
he
does
what
he
does,
is
left
for
the
promised
sequel.
The
movie
thus
ends
with
you
wondering
what
will
happen
next.
A
lot
of
time
is
spent
on
giving
us
the
background
of
the
story
and
establishing
the
characters
but
the
film
is
named
Kalki
and
the
man
is
not
even
born.
Music
by
Anirudh
has
no
recall
value.
He
does
a
better
job
with
the
background
music.
Kalki
2898
AD
Review
Rediff
Rating:
