Kalki 2898 AD’s trailer is out and the film looks grand. But have Prabhas, Deepika & Amitabh been typecast?

The official trailer of the much-awaited sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD finally dropped and we think it’s safe to say that the creators do their best to transport us to a dystopian future set nearly a thousand years into the future. With a budget of approximately 600 crore rupees and a star-studded cast, Kalki offers a glimpse into a world teetering on the brink. The film takes inspiration from Hindu mythology, with Kalki, the 10th incarnation of Vishnu, destined to restore balance during humanity's darkest hour.

Directed by Nag Ashwin, Kalki 2898 AD features Prabhas in the titular role. Joining him on this epic journey are legendary actors Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Disha Patani. Kalki promises a grand visual experience, transporting viewers to a world unlike anything seen before in Indian cinema.

In fact, Prabhas himself bragged about the film's global appeal, stating in a recent interview that Kalki 2898 AD is "made for international [audiences]. With its high production value, stellar cast, and epic storyline, the film has the potential to be a true game-changer for Indian cinema on the world stage.

The visual effects and attention to detail in the film are garnering a lot of accolades. Viewers are also very excited about Deepika and Amitabh dubbing the Telugu lines themselves! However, there’s been mixed reviews about the trailer so far — the dialogue delivery, in particular.
Apart from these concerns, many are also wondering if the main characters are somewhat typecast — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

After the mind-boggling success that the Bahubali franchise saw, Prabhas was dubbed the first pan-Indian star. Since then, the actor has delivered several films with openings that crossed a whopping 100 crore rupees. Prabhas does seem committed to the whole high stakes but visually appealing genre (think Saaho or Adipurush), but the schtick doesn’t seem to be doing him any favours, as almost all of his movies since Bahubali haven’t really succeeded, some fans pointed out.
Now that the Telugu star is attempting another such film, we can only hope that he will be able to redeem himself and this particular genre.

Then comes Deepika Padukone! While the global star is no-doubt a superb addition to the movie, the soon-to-be mother has taken mothering to a whole new level. Displaying a noticeable baby bump in the trailer of Kalki, Deepika has jogged our memory with her other recent performances in a maternal role.

In Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, she assumed the role of Shiva’s (played by Ranbir Kapoor) mother. And in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Jawan, she played King Khan’s mother as well! But the question that remains is if Deepika deliberately chooses to play more significant maternal characters or is this merely a coincidence?
And now that we think about it, isn’t veteran legend Amitabh Bhachan also seems to be playing a character rather similar to the one he played in Brahmastra — that of a sage and wise old mythological guru with a purpose? In Kalki, Amitabh Bachchan is playing the character of Ashwatthama, who played an important role in the Mahabharata.

Anyhoo, we’re very excited to see how these actors, along with the rest of the talented cast, perform. This ambitious project is being produced by Vyjayanthi Movies and is set to be released worldwide on June 27. Audiences can expect a spectacle across theatres, with the film releasing in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and English.

The story, however, is even bigger. Due to the extensive amount of footage shot, the makers have decided to release the film in two parts. This ensures that every crucial scene and character gets the spotlight they deserve.