Kalki 2898 AD (dubbed) seems to have released this week just so that the Hindi film industry’s half-yearly report card could look presentable. The first six months of year 2024 have had exhibitors bleeding and distributors gasping for breath. Several big films have fallen like nine prints at the box-office, but Kalki has brought back the smiles on the faces of the trade.
If the first-day response of the public is anything to go by, the film seems poised to have a long and meritorious run at the cinemas. Scenes in the film are being met with deafening applause. Even the audience in the multiplexes are letting down their guard and reacting wildly to the unfolding drama on the screens. The visual appeal of the futuristic film matches the rich content to make it a memorable big-screen experience for the public.
That it is a big hit is now a foregone conclusion. What remains to be seen is: how big?!
The scene down South is madness of a different level. Fans of Prabhas, whose number is legion, are having a field day in the cinemas. All armchair talk about the film keeping the actor’s fans dissatisfied (because “Prabhas doesn’t have a worthwhile role”) is baseless. The naysayers need to see the reaction of the public in general and Prabhas’ fans in particular before jumping to the conclusion that Prabhas’ role will agitate his fans.
For Amitabh Bachchan, the film has come as a shot in the arm. To see the star perform with so much gusto as well as finesse is sheer delight!