Indian science fiction epic is a wonderful thing

The refreshing Telugu-language sci-fi epic displays subtlety, borrowing from similarly-themed predecessors so that the film can be shown at copyright legal professional meetings. Eye-popping CGI spectacle, impressive action sequences and such a fun, over-the-top performance by Indian superstar Prabhas that shows why movie stars were invented, Kalki 2898 AD Heavy in taste compared to substance and at some distance from what is necessary. But it certainly provided audiences with bang for their buck, and its box-office success proves that the makers weren’t being overly positive by announcing “The Kalki Cinematic Universe Continues” during the end credits.

The plot is a little difficult to summarize, so bear with me. Director-screenwriter Nag Ashwin’s three-hour film – thankfully, it has an intermission – begins with a prologue, which takes place after the Kurukshetra War in 3102 BC, the Hindu epic most loved by those popular with Will. Mahabharata, Warrior Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan) is cursed by Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, when he makes a mistake while trying to kill an unborn holy child. As punishment, he was sentenced to wander on earth for eternity to find salvation by protecting the mother of Kalki, the second incarnation of Vishnu.

Cut to the following 6,000 years (see the name of the film for the exact pace), when the planet has been reduced to a post-apocalyptic, dystopian community (just once, I’d love to see a sci-fi film where things actually move forward. (getting better) in which the elite naturally acquire valuable assets, including Aqua, which can also be purchased with “credits”. Those upper-crust types live in a giant inverted pyramid called a “complex”, luckily it doesn’t have “Trump’s” name on it, as dated as the plebeians live in a slum. Advanced is overseen by Perfect Yaskin (Kamal Haasan), who is in dire need of moisturizer. He runs the nefarious Venture OK, which drains pregnant women of their fluids, which it uses as a prime years serum. Later, they are burnt.

One kind of unlucky girls, SUM-80 (Deepika Padukone), manages to escape with a bounty on her head. Input Bhairav ​​(Prabhas), an evil bounty hunter (is there an alternate type?) who desperately needs to earn a sufficient amount of credits to climb up to an advanced level. Just then Ashwatthama (remember him?) re-enters the scene to provide protection to the fugitive SUM-80, who was Kalki’s mother. It seems that the 6,000 years have been perfect for Ashwatthama, as he has now grown to eight feet tall. The same cannot be said about Bhairava, at least energy-wise, because once he makes his presence felt, he insists on sleeping.

There’s a lot going on when it comes to the various characters and subplots, although you’re probably already as tired of reading this as I am writing this. Suffice it to say, you’ll have to entertain yourself throughout the film by recognizing its inspirations. celebrity war In the beginning between them -Bhairav ​​has a useful significant other within a robotic mode that works like a mini model of R2-D2; Perfect Yaskin’s minions bear a false beautiful resemblance to Stormtroopers etc. – Even if memory serves, star wars Unlike in this film, there were no occasional musical additions.

However star wars This is just the beginning. You’ll also see references to various Wonder motion pictures, Unbalanced Maximum: Anger Streetban in twilight night rises, dune, math question, blade Runner And this harry potter Form, among others. And the nature of Roxy (Disha Patani), Bhairav’s girlfriend, who shows tremendous containment skills in midriff-baring outfits, can give Princess Leia a run for her money, especially in terms of sharp comments. “I thought you wanted me,” she tells Bhairav ​​to take her under his control. “But you only wanted my credit.”

Finally, for all its extremely fun components, Kalki 2898 AD This seems like an excess of a reasonable thing, compared to the kind of lavish buffet meal that leaves you feeling overly full and tired. However, fanatics of this true taste of cinema are not threatened by ideas.