The film ‘Kalki 2898 AD,’ directed by Nag Ashwin and starring Prabhas, has generated global buzz, with predictions of becoming a super hit. It has impressed audiences worldwide with its Hollywood-level visuals and the actors’ remarkable transformations. Achieving this success required significant effort from the Kalki team. As the film continues to draw special attention, let’s delve into some secrets behind ‘Kalki 2898 AD’.
40 years later
It is well known that Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan played major roles in ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. Amitabh portrayed Ashwatthama and Kamal Haasan as the antagonist Supreme Yashkin. Remarkably, this film marks nearly 40 years since they last acted together, their previous collaboration being the 1985 film ‘Geraftaar’. After 4 decades, they have reunited for ‘Kalki’.
Kamal’s New Getup
Kamal Haasan’s appearance in ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is quite unique and distinct. Numerous looks were considered in the process of finalizing his appearance, none of which initially satisfied director Nag Ashwin. Eventually, the Kalki team consulted Hollywood makeup experts in Los Angeles, leading to the final look that Kamal Haasan sports in the film.
5 hours for Makeup
Ashwatthama’s look in the movie has also greatly impressed the audience. Amitabh Bachchan, at 81, has brilliantly embodied this character. The makeup for Ashwatthama took about three hours to apply and an additional two hours to remove, totaling five hours dedicated solely to makeup, according to the film unit.
₹4 crores for Bujji
The futuristic vehicle ‘Bujji’, ridden by Prabhas in ‘Kalki’, was a significant endeavor by the film unit. It was developed with the cooperation of the Mahindra Research Valley team and Jayam Auto Engineering in Coimbatore. Reportedly, around ₹4 crores were spent just on this car.
700 VFX Shots
Director Nag Ashwin created three futuristic worlds in ‘Kalki’: Kashi, Shambala, and a complex. Kashi is depicted as lifeless, Shambala as a refugee zone, and the complex as resource-rich. To showcase these, the film extensively used VFX, employing around 700 VFX shots.
Hollywood VFX
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is being talked about as a visual wonder, thanks to the involvement of Hollywood-level VFX companies. The VFX team that has worked on major Hollywood films like Harry Potter, Interstellar, Dune, and Blade Runner worked on ‘Kalki’.
Record-breaking Budget
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ stands as the film with the highest budget in Indian cinema history, with production costs reportedly exceeding ₹600 crores. According to trade sources, a significant portion of this budget was spent not just on actor salaries and sets, but predominantly on high-quality visuals and advanced VFX.
