Featuring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and others in the lead roles, Kalki 2898 AD hit the big screens today amidst good buzz. Here is what we have to say about this mega-budgeted sci-fi thriller which is directed by Nag Ashwin.

Story: Bhairava(Prabhas) is a bounty hunter who is after "units"(an equivalent of currency). On day, he is commissioned with the job of nabbing Deepika Padukone and handing her over to the baddies. But he has to face the wrath of Aswaththama(Amitabh) in the process. The rest of he story deals with the repercussions of Bhairava trying to kidnap Deepika. 

How did the actors perform?

Firstly, Nag Ashwin pulled off a mega casting coup as he brought Prabhas, Amitabh, Deepika, Kamal, Disha Patani and others for the key roles in the film which is impressive in itself. Then he managed to pull of great performances from each of them.

Prabhas as Bhairava is great fun to watch on the big screens. He has the demeanor and physique for such a masculine role. Amitabh is the mainstay with his elongated character and breathes life. Deepika is very good in her impactful role. Kamal's prosthetics dominate his facial expressions but he delivers what is expected of him.

What about the technical finesse?

The director, Nag Ashwin blends extreme past dating back to the days of Mahabharatha with an extremely futuristic world set in Kashi. The transfusion is the main USP of the film. Story wise, there is endless potential here. But narration wise, Nagi had too much on his plate and he often tried to deliver through multiple subplots. As a result, there is occasional lag here and there. 

Music by Santosh Narayanan is alright and it does the trick to a good part. Cinematography is of elite quality and it is blended expertly with CGI and visual effects to create visual grandeur. The production values of Vyjyanthi are expectedly good. 

Analysis: Kalki is essentially a reimagination of Mahabharatha in the modern day world setting and this is the mainstay in terms of the storytelling aspect. Nag Ashwin used visual grandeur to create fictional worlds that are highlighted through their own back stories. 

The film starts off on a slower note, which is understandable, considering that a film this scale needs some stage-setting. The first half peaks with the cameo of Vijay Deverakonda. The interval point packs a punch.

The real deal starts in the latter half as the Ashwaththama-Bhairava conflict point is handled expertly. The Mahabharatha war track that lasts for around half an hour is of very good quality. Nag Ashwin excels as a filmmaker here. 

The climax too packs a punch as it ends on an action packed note. There is an unexpected turn of events towards the end and this must be watched on the big screens. 

Verdict: Kalki is a visually grand sci-fi thriller which occasionally lags here and there but as a whole, it is a good product that can easily be watched once. Prabhas and Nag Ashwin shine in their respective crafts.

Rating: 3/5