It seems Prabhas-starrer Kalki 2898 AD is on its way to becoming the first blockbuster of 2024 as early reactions hail the captivating VFX, a gripping second half and surprise cameos by RRR maker S.S. Rajamouli and a host of south stars including Vijay Deverakonda and Dulquer Salmaan.

Also starring Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Deepika Padukone, the actioner is said to have a memorable cliffhanger to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, hinting at a sequel in the not-so-distant future.

“Kalki 2898 AD is truly groundbreaking film that set a new benchmark in Indian cinema,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).

Another X user hailed Kalki 2898 AD as a masterpiece of Indian cinema.

Users also hailed the movie for the big-scale sci-fi drama.

Kamal Haasan received praise for his portrayal of the antagonist in the film.

One user pointed out a cameo by S.S. Rajamouli in Kalki 2898 AD.

Some users pointed out that the first half of the film was slow in pace but the pre-interval block was engaging.

Viewers were also mesmerised by Mahabharata references in the film.

Telugu star Vijay Devarakonda has a special appearance in the movie.

Malayalam star Dulquer Salmaan also makes a cameo.

Even before its release, Kalki 2898 AD had set the box office on fire through advance bookings, garnering Rs 55.1 crore gross in terms of revenue from pre-sales. Only Baahubali 2 (Rs 100 crore gross), K.G.F. Chapter 2 (Rs 80 crore gross) and RRR (Rs 58 crore gross) are ranked higher on the list.