Kalki 2898 AD is an Indian science fiction film that features a dystopian world. Directed by Nag Ashwin, it is a post-apocalyptic film inspired by Hindu scriptures and set in 2898 AD.
The film features an ensemble cast including Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Disha Patani. It is produced by Vyjayanthi Movies.
Table of Contents
Plot Summary
The movie is set in a dystopian future and revolves around themes of mythology and futuristic technology. The story intertwines elements of ancient Indian mythology with a futuristic world, drawing inspiration from the story of Kalki, the prophesied tenth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, who is expected to appear to end the Kali Yuga (the dark age) and restore righteousness.
The Curse of Ashwatthama
Following the Kurukshetra War, Ashwatthama, the son of Dronacharya, commits an unthinkable crime: he attempts to kill Uttarā’s unborn child, driven by vengeance.
For this heinous act, Lord Krishna, the 8th avatar of Vishnu, curses Ashwatthama with immortality. He is condemned to roam the earth for eternity, witnessing the misery and degradation of humanity as a result of societal and moral decline during the Kali Yuga.
Furthermore, Krishna takes away Ashwatthama’s divine gem from his forehead, stripping him of his power.
Ashwatthama’s redemption is prophesied to occur only when he protects the mother of Kalki, Vishnu’s 10th and final avatar, who will be born towards the end of the Kali Yuga.
A Dystopian Future: 2898 AD
Six thousand years after the Kurukshetra War, the world has descended into chaos.
In the year 2898 AD, the last remaining city, Kasi, stands amidst a post-apocalyptic landscape. The city is ruled by Supreme Yaskin, a 200-year-old totalitarian god-king who governs from the “Complex,” an enormous inverted pyramid that hovers above the city.
Yaskin enforces his will through Commander Manas, Counsellor Bani, and an army of soldiers who maintain order by suppressing any rebellion, particularly from the hidden city of Shambhala. The rebels in Shambhala await the arrival of Kalki, the prophesied saviour, and final avatar of Vishnu.
In this dystopian society, fertile female refugees in Kasi are abducted and taken to the Complex for “Project K.” This experiment aims to develop a secret serum for Yaskin by artificially inseminating women and harvesting the serum from their fetuses. However, the serum only reaches full potency after 150 days of gestation.
None of the fetuses have survived that long, nor have the women survived the gruesome extraction process.
The Escape of Raia and the Return of Ashwatthama
Raia, a young girl disguised as a boy, manages to evade capture and escape from the Complex with the help of Shambhalan rebels.
Seeking refuge, she hides in a cave where she unexpectedly meets Ashwatthama. Unbeknownst to her, Raia possesses Ashwatthama’s divine gem, which she had accidentally acquired during her escape. When she places the gem back in his forehead, Ashwatthama regains his awareness and learns of the impending birth of Kalki.
Together, Ashwatthama and Raia set out on a journey to find and protect Kalki’s mother.
The Mother of Kalki: Sumathi
Inside the Complex, SUM-80, a woman who has successfully carried her pregnancy to the critical 150-day mark, is exposed and forced to undergo the extraction procedure.
Commander Manas extracts a single drop of serum from her fetus before she is rescued by Shambhalan rebels. Renamed Sumathi, she is taken by the rebels toward Shambhala, but their journey is interrupted by bounty hunters and raiders. Among them is Bhairava, a skilled bounty hunter who pursues the group in his AI-powered supercar, Bujji.
Despite several confrontations, Sumathi and the rebels are eventually cornered by soldiers from the Complex.
Ashwatthama and Bhairava arrive at the scene, and a fierce battle ensues for the custody of Sumathi, who is revealed to be the mother of Kalki. Although Bhairava fights valiantly, Ashwatthama ultimately overpowers him, and the group successfully reaches the safety of Shambhala.
There, in Kalki’s presence, the mystical tree of life blooms.
Betrayal and the Awakening of Bhairava
Bhairava, seeking entry into the Complex, strikes a deal with Manas to capture Sumathi. He infiltrates Shambhala by tricking a rebel and disguises himself as Ashwatthama to deceive Sumathi.
As he tries to escape with her, the real Ashwatthama intervenes, and the two engage in a deadly fight. During their confrontation, Manas and his soldiers breach Shambhala’s defenses.
Shambhala’s leader, Mariam, sacrifices herself to protect Sumathi, but the rebels are ultimately overpowered by the Complex’s forces.
Amidst the chaos, Ashwatthama and Bhairava join forces to save Sumathi. After subduing Bhairava, Ashwatthama is captured by Manas, who confiscates his weapon.
In a twist of fate, Bhairava awakens to discover that Ashwatthama’s walking stick, the Vijaya Dhanush (a powerful bow that once belonged to Karna), has fallen into his hands, along with a leaf from the tree of life. This revelation triggers Bhairava’s transformation, revealing him as the reincarnation of Karna. Empowered by the divine weapon, Bhairava annihilates the invading soldiers and kills Manas.
However, once snapped out of his trance by his AI car Bujji, Bhairava reverts to his normal self and takes Sumathi away, leaving Ashwatthama to watch as they depart.
The Rise of Yaskin
In a mid-credits scene, Yaskin uses the single drop of serum extracted from Sumathi’s fetus on himself, transforming into a youthful superhuman with part of Kalki’s power.
Armed with Arjuna’s bow, Gandiva, he vows to personally capture Sumathi and her unborn child to reshape the world according to his will.
Ashwatthama’s Curse and Redemption
In 3102 BC, after the devastating Kurukshetra War, Ashwatthama, in a fit of vengeance, uses the destructive Brahmashirastra to attack Uttarā’s unborn child.
For this unforgivable act, Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, curses him to wander the earth eternally, witnessing humanity’s decline during the dark age of Kali Yuga.
Stripped of his divine gem, Ashwatthama’s redemption lies in protecting the mother of Vishnu’s future avatar, Kalki, who is destined to end the Kali Yuga and restore righteousness.
Kasi’s Dystopian Future
Fast forward to 2898 AD, six thousand years after the Kurukshetra War, the world has turned into a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
The desertified city of Kasi is the last known bastion of civilization, ruled by the tyrannical Supreme Yaskin from the “Complex,” a colossal inverted pyramid hovering above the city.
This totalitarian god-king exploits Earth’s resources to maintain a luxurious paradise for the wealthy, enforcing his rule through Commander Manas, Counsellor Bani, and the relentless Raiders. They vigilantly guard against any threat, especially the prophesied return of Kalki.
In this grim society, fertile women in Kasi are forcibly taken to the Complex for Project K, an experiment to create a life-extending serum for the 200-year-old Yaskin. However, no woman survives past 120 days of pregnancy, leading to their deaths.
Raia, a young girl disguised as a boy, narrowly escapes this fate with the help of rebels led by Rumi from the hidden city of Shambhala. Tragically, Rumi and Divya, a pregnant woman believed to be carrying Kalki, are captured and executed for protecting Shambhala’s location. Manas sets a bounty on the rebels, forcing Raia into hiding.
The Quest for Kalki
Raia finds refuge in a cave, where she encounters Ashwatthama and unknowingly returns his divine gem, Shivamani, which the Shambhala rebels had passed among themselves. Together, they embark on a journey to find the real mother of Kalki.
SUM-80, a Project K subject hiding her 150-day pregnancy, is discovered and captured. Manas extracts a single drop of serum from her fetus before Lilly, a Shambhala rebel posing as a Project K subject, intervenes. Lilly helps SUM-80 escape, though she sacrifices herself to hold off the Raiders.
SUM-80, now named Sumathi by the rebels, is taken by Veeran, Kyra, and Ajju. During their journey to Shambhala, they are ambushed by bounty hunters and Raiders, and Kyra is killed.
The Battle for Shambhala
Bhairava, a bounty hunter seeking the bounty on Sumathi, remains in pursuit with his AI supercar, Bujji. Ashwatthama learns that Sumathi’s unborn child is Kalki.
Despite Bhairava’s efforts, Ashwatthama subdues him, and the group reaches Shambhala, where the tree of life blooms in Kalki’s presence. Bhairava, deceiving a rebel named Luke and using hologram technology to impersonate Ashwatthama, convinces Sumathi to flee. However, they are intercepted by the real Ashwatthama.
A fierce battle ensues as Manas and the Raiders breach Shambhala’s defenses. Mariam, Shambhala’s leader, is killed after slashing Manas’ face. Manas chains Ashwatthama, and Bhairava, who now wields Karna’s bow, the Vijaya Dhanush, defends Sumathi and Ashwatthama from the Raiders. Bhairava uses the bow to kill Manas and rescue Sumathi.
However, Bujji’s distraction allows Bhairava to revert to his former self and take Sumathi away.
The Final Confrontation
Back at the Complex, Yaskin, informed of Manas’s failure, uses the extracted serum to transform into a younger superhuman. With Arjuna’s bow, Gandiva, in hand, he vows to personally capture Sumathi and her child, intending to reshape the world according to his vision.
Kalki 2898 AD box office
The science fiction epic Kalki 2898 AD continues to dominate at the box office, sustaining its success two weeks post-release. On the 14th day, the film grossed ₹ 7.5 crore in India, bringing its total domestic earnings to ₹ 536.75 crore, according to Sacnilk.
Vyjayanthi Films, the production house, announced that the film surpassed ₹ 900 crore globally on its 11th day. With these impressive numbers, Kalki 2898 AD has outperformed Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal, which earned ₹ 915 crore worldwide in 2023.
Kalki 2898 AD now stands as the second-highest grosser for its star Prabhas, trailing only SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali 2, which amassed over ₹ 1788 crore globally in 2017.
Initially, the majority of Kalki 2898 AD‘s revenue came from its Telugu version, but the focus has since shifted to the Hindi market. On its 14th day, the Hindi version brought in ₹ 4.75 crore, while the Telugu version earned ₹ 1.7 crore. The Hindi version has accumulated ₹ 229.05 crore, and the Telugu version stands at ₹ 252.1 crore. On Wednesday, the film saw a Hindi occupancy rate of 13.81% and a Telugu occupancy rate of 18.6%.
Kalki 2898 AD had an impressive global debut, grossing ₹180 crore worldwide on its opening day, which was the third-highest first-day gross for an Indian film. The film garnered over ₹95 crore from India alone on its first day. It also marked the biggest opening for an Indian film in 2024 . Within two days, it nearly crossed ₹250 crore, earning ₹149.3 crore from India.
Globally, Kalki 2898 AD debuted at third place at the box office, behind Inside Out 2 and A Quiet Place: Day One during their opening weekends. It grossed approximately ₹484 crore worldwide during its four-day opening weekend and went on to earn ₹800 crore within 11 days of release.
The film eventually became the fourth highest-grossing Indian film of all time in India, surpassing Jawan (2023) in 40 days. Over its theatrical run, which spanned more than 50 days, Kalki 2898 AD grossed an estimated ₹1,028 to ₹1,200 crores worldwide, against a production budget of ₹600 crores.
Critical Response
Critical reception for Kalki 2898 AD was mixed, with varying opinions across different publications. While Deccan Chronicle noted a mix of reviews and WION reported that the film “failed to impress” critics, India Today commented that the reviews were generally positive.
On Rotten Tomatoes, 79% of 38 critic reviews were positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The consensus on the site stated: “A colorful spectacle that competes with Hollywood blockbusters while retaining its own distinctive flavor, Kalki 2898 AD marks a rousing breakthrough in Tollywood sci-fi cinema”.
Positive Reviews
Several reviewers praised the film for its grand scale and unique storytelling. Bollywood Hungama awarded it 4 out of 5 stars, describing the movie as “a grandiose spectacle” that merges mythology with futuristic themes, offering a one-of-a-kind experience .
News18‘s Chirag Sehgal also gave it 4 out of 5 stars, highlighting its blend of action, mythology, technology, and visual spectacle. But terming it “Prabhas Impresses As Modern-Day ‘Karan’ But It Is Amitabh Bachchan’s Show”.
Goutam S. from Pinkvilla praised the film’s epic narration, visuals, performances, and storytelling, rating it 4/5 stars. The British influential online news portal The Guardian described the movie as a “maximalist sci-fi epic” that blends the Mahabharata with Mad Max and gave it a 4 out of 5 rating. India Today’s Janani K gave 3.5/5 stars, noting the film’s cliffhanger ending and the significant theatrical moments.
Collider praised the film’s combination of supernatural elements with cutting-edge technology and the performances of the lead cast, particularly Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan.
Mixed and Negative Reviews
Not all critics were equally impressed. Rediff’s Sukanya Verma, who rated the film 3.5/5 stars, appreciated Amitabh Bachchan’s performance, citing it as the highlight of the film . The Times of India‘s Ronek Kotecha gave it 3/5 stars, pointing out that the film’s stunning visuals overshadowed its narrative flaws.
Similarly, Times Now‘s Sashidar Adivi commented on the brilliant VFX and setup but criticized the writing, giving it a 3/5 rating .
OTTPlay‘s Avad Mohammed also rated the film 3/5 stars, praising the visuals and action but criticizing the slow pacing. Deadline Hollywood’s Bunbury found the film entertaining and praised director Nag Ashwin’s work, expecting more installments in what is being termed the “Kalki Cinematic Universe”. I personally award it with 3 stars as well.
Some reviews, however, were less favourable. Deccan Chronicle’s B. V. S. Prakash gave the film 3/5 stars, mentioning that the casting of stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan was justified . NDTV‘s Saibal Chatterjee rated it 2.5/5 stars, commenting that the film’s visual spectacle compensated for its lack of strong writing .
The Hindu‘s Sangeetha Devi Dundoo acknowledged the film’s shortcomings but applauded it as a “brave new attempt”, while Hindustan Times‘s Neeshita Nyayapathi remarked that although the film wasn’t flawless, it was “gutsy and intriguing” enough to be worth watching on the big screen .
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Production
The production of Kalki 2898 AD has generated significant buzz due to its high-profile cast and ambitious storyline. The film aims to blend traditional Indian mythological themes with cutting-edge visual effects and futuristic concepts, offering a unique cinematic experience.
Cast: Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Disha Patani