Kalki 2898 AD: Not Nag Ashwin’s vision, but THESE shots made Kamal Haasan say yes to Prabhas' film

Ahead of the release of Telugu cinema’s magnum opus Kalki 2898 AD, the cast and crew of Nag Ashwin’s directorial sat down to share their experiences of working on this ambitious project. Kamal Haasan, who participated in the talk show The Kalki Chronicles Episode 1, delved deeper into how he was brought on board to play the role of Kali. He also shared an interesting anecdote about how he came up with a major idea that has been incorporated into the film. 

Amitabh Bachchan’s shots made Kamal Haasan say yes to Kalki 2898 AD

In the recently released interview, the actor recalled the incident that made him agree to play Kali in the magnum opus. Kamal Haasan revealed that he usually does not trust directors' visions when approached for a character, as it only reflects their ambition and not the final output.  

Also read: Kalki 2898 AD: Amitabh Bachchan apologises to Prabhas’ fans - Here’s why

He further explained that when Nag Ashwin approached him for the role of Kali, he did not present storyboards or concept designs. Instead, the director showed him a few portions shot for the film, featuring Ashwatthama, played by Amitabh Bachchan. The visuals featuring the Big B impressed Kamal Haasan, who immediately agreed to be part of the project. 

The actor also revealed that he came up with the idea of Yaskin’s ‘third eye’ in the film. He said that when he suggested this feature to director Nag Ashwin, Ashwin loved the idea and decided to incorporate it into the character. 

Also read: Kalki 2898 AD final: Kamal Haasan's Supreme Yaskin, Prabhas' Bhairava take center stage

Kamal Haasan on the 'best' part of working on Kalki 2898 AD

Appreciating the discipline among crew members on set, Kamal Haasan said, “It is not about the number of cameras or the number of crew. It’s the quietness of the set which I enjoyed the most. Because that’s lacking on most sets. The noise should be inside a person and in the theatres, but not on the set.” 

“I found that Mr. Nagi could speak in his volume and still be heard. Nagi mumbles, but he is still heard on set because that’s how quiet it is,” he added.

Kamal Haasan plays the character of Kali in the film, making a cameo appearance in the first part of the magnum opus. The Prabhas-starrer Kalki 2898 AD is due for release on June 27, 2024. 

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