Following the phenomenal box office run of Kalki 2898 AD in the first week, director Nag Ashwin has offered insights into the making of the sci-fi epic and his future plans. Here are the key takeaways:
‘Success of Kalki 2898 AD is a validation’
Ashwin expressed his gratitude to the audience and film industry for embracing Kalki 2898 AD. He views the film’s success as a positive development for the entire Indian film industry, particularly for aspiring filmmakers, writers, and production houses because this movie “opens the door”. He further said that the success of Kalki was a “validation” as it serves as a “reference point” for future filmmakers wanting to venture into the sci-fi genre.
‘There were shortcomings’
Ashwin acknowledged the complexities of crafting a narrative with a vast world, intricate VFX sequences, and a star-studded cast featuring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, and Deepika Padukone. “There were mistakes, there were shortcomings. Some of it we know and some of it was unexpected. But in the larger picture, for large parts of the 180 minutes of cinematic experience people were happy,” he said.
‘We need to do full justice to all four characters’
Ashwin admitted that initially he wanted to make one film. However, with four main characters — Bhairava (Prabhas), Sumati (Deepika), Ashwatthama (Amitabh), and Supreme Yaskin (Kamal) — he needed to do justice to each of their narratives. “The idea was to make it in one part. But in the first few schedules only we realised that we cannot manage to do full justice to all the four characters in one film. It had its challenges,” the filmmaker said.
‘The sequel is a long way off’
The attendees at the media interaction were naturally curious about a potential sequel for Kalki 2898 AD. While Ashwin didn’t provide concrete details, he did acknowledge that it was in the works. “As far as the timeline for a sequel goes, it’s a long way off. We still have a lot of shooting left to complete. There’s going to be so much action, so many backstories and so many new worlds,” he said.
‘Maybe we could have done things differently’
Nag acknowledged the criticism he received for some of the character development in his film. Sumati, for example, is a character who often relies on others to rescue her. “Obviously she was coming from a certain place and had to be innocent. Deepika, who was Sumati, couldn’t do more than what she was doing in this part. Maybe we could’ve done a few things differently,” he said.
‘In the sequel, we’ll be having fun’
Ashwin admitted that the first part of Kalki 2898 AD was spent on world-building and the sequel will focus more on the actual face-off between the main characters. “For this part, we wanted people to come into this world and feel a part of it. Maybe in the course of worldbuilding, the process got a bit diluted,” he said.
“The audience is now ready to accept and enter that world. So, now we will be having fun. The main characters have now realised their full power. We know exactly what they want and where they come from,” Ashwin added.
‘I was making this film for my 10-year old self’
When Ashwin was asked why the storytelling was so light-hearted in Kalki 2898 AD, he mentioned that he wanted to make this film for his 10-year old self. “It was a conscious call. My thought was, I’m making this film for my 10-year old self or 12-year old self, I want to watch this (film) and have a lot of questions. I want my imagination or curiosity triggered,” he said.
About his interest in MahabharataAshwin was asked about his interest in exploring the Mahabharata. He explained that when people think of Telugu cinema, they often recall the 1957 Savitri-starrer Mayabazar, which is a fictional retelling of the Mahabharata. He also mentioned that the 1991 film Thalapathi, starring Rajinikanth and Mammootty, is another adaptation of Karna’s story.
