The standout moments in the first half include the introduction of evil as the supreme Yaskin, with Kamal Haasan relishing the ominous turn, SUM-80 or Sumati (Deepika Padukone) as a lab rat yearning for a better life and motherhood, and Ashwatthama realising that the time has come for his final battle.
finds its groove in the later portions, providing the much-needed emotional gravitas through Sumati. Mariam (Shobhana), Veeran (Pasupathy) and Kyra (Anna Ben) are among the several other characters. There are the masked raiders (costume design by Archana Rao) of the Complex, hundreds of them in dark attire, locking horns with the Shambala army in hues of white. When we get a closer look at the inhabitants of Shambala, cutting across cultures and faiths, and why they look for hope, it makes an impact. Between the action episodes involving futuristic machines, some moments underline how life as we know it has changed beyond recognition. Sumati trying to comprehend the idea of marriage and life thereafter, for instance.
However, the writing is not free of predictable arcs. When a character reiterates that her name stands for good luck, we know what comes next.
For all the gradual building of the world and the characters in the first hour, the payoffs come in the form of battles involving Ashwatthama (referred to at one point as ‘angry giant man’), Bhairava, Bujji who transforms into a giant machine and commander Manas (Saswata Chatterjee) with futuristic guns, laser-powered detonators, flying machines and more. As a visual spectacle, it is magnificent on the large screen and sets a new benchmark.
‘It is always darkest just before the day’, goes a statement by 17th century scholar Thomas Fuller. The essence of his words echoes across cultures and faiths. When the world is torn apart with strife and are distraught to a point of breaking down, hope and light cannot be far away. Cinematographer Djordje Stojiljkovic and the production team led by Nitin Zihani Choudhary paint a brooding dark world, bathed in muddy browns and ominous blacks, and hope comes in the form of sunlight that struggles to stream in, a hint of glow and warmth from the fire, and so on.
Making his character appear every bit larger than life is Amitabh Bachchan as the mighty Ashwatthama, supposedly standing tall at nearly eight feet. He towers over everyone else and his demeanour shows who is the boss. He looks utterly believable when he tosses men and machines into the air. also plays to the strengths of the stardom of Prabhas, with the actor gamely trying to be a modern-day superhero with an attitude to boot. A reveal towards the final portions is a big, pleasant surprise and builds anticipation for the Kalki Cinematic Universe (yes, there will be part two). Despite this, the end also felt abrupt rather than a cliffhanger.
The music too is a bit hit-and-miss. Santhosh Narayanan pays rich homage to the Bhagavad Gita and old Telugu classics, and then stunningly transitions into a futuristic gaming zone realm. However, the songs take some getting used to.
narrative has several subtexts to decode, long after the film is over. The parallels drawn between Yaskin and Kamsa, the design of the Complex, the surroundings of Yaskin and the flying machine used by Manas. There is a lot to root for. If only it had sidestepped the lacklustre romance and the underwhelming dialogues to make for a more cohesive narrative. Despite these shortcomings, is a brave new attempt that deserves big cheers.
