Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

'Kalki 2898 AD' poised to emerge as biggest opener of 2024

Produced by Vyjayanthi Movies, Kalki 2898 AD has released in six languages: Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and English.

'Kalki 2898 AD' poised to emerge as biggest opener of 2024

The stakes are high, the expectations higher and, if early trends are anything to go by, "achhe din" could be back for the Indian movie industry with 3D spectacle Kalki 2898 AD set to cross earnings of Rs 200 crore globally on its opening day Thursday, according to trade experts.

The sci-fi-meets-mythology extravaganza, with Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan headlining the all-star cast representing the biggest from both the south and the Hindi film industry, is also racing towards a USD 4 million premiere day in the US, Canada and other territories, reported trade website Sacnilk.


This is more than SS Rajamouli's RRR, which had scored USD 3.3 million gross on its North American premiere in 2022. Kalki 2898 AD is now the film with "the biggest premiere for an Indian movie in North America", Sacnilk reported.

Produced by Vyjayanthi Movies, Kalki 2898 AD has released in six languages: Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and English. Previously titled Project K, it is arguably the most expensive feature film in Indian cinema history at a reported £60 million.

The film will breach the £10 million mark on the first day of its release, said trade analyst Girish Wankhede.

"This film will be a big lifesaver. Apart from 'Shaitaan', no big (Hindi) film has been a super hit in the last six months. Kalki will be like a breath of fresh air. It will earn Rs 100-110 crore in opening day collections across India and will cross the Rs 200 crore mark globally," Wankhede added.

The mega-budget extravaganza is set for global box office domination with its 4s -- stars, spectacle, stunts, and sci-fi -- said industry insiders.

Touted as a marriage of the Hindu epic Mahabharata and science fiction, the big-budget multilingual film, which opened in theatres worldwide on Thursday, is directed by Nag Ashwin of "Mahanati" fame.

While it's too early, Kalki 2898 AD has all the makings of a "blockbuster hit", with its Hindi version pegged to be "the biggest opener of this year so far", said trade expert Taran Adarsh.

As he sees it, even the India versus England T20 World Cup semifinal may not dampen enthusiasm for the film.

"Achhe din are back... For the Hindi version, it's going to be the biggest opener of this year so far. The highest so far was 'Fighter' with Rs 20.50 crore and 'Kalki' will easily cross that. There's a cricket match in the evening, but I think 'Kalki' will brave all the odds," Adarsh told PTI.

The pre-release buzz and frenzy of the collective fandom of Prabhas, Bachchan, Padukone, and Haasan seems to be reflected in the tickets sold on the online booking platform BookMyShow.

According to Ashish Saksena, COO-Cinemas, BookMyShow, over 1.5 million tickets have already been bought on the ticketing platform.

"Audiences across the length and breadth of the country are demonstrating remarkable enthusiasm for all languages, with ticket sales for the Hindi version growing exponentially, and the Telugu version naturally leading the charts.

"Cities such as Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, and Tirupati show significant interest, followed closely by Warangal, Vijayawada, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Pune, highlighting the film’s extensive geographic reach," Saksena said in a statement.

Besides its humongous budget, what is also at stake is the reputation of the cast of "Kalki 2898 AD", which has cameos by Malayalam star Dulquer Salmaan, Telugu star Vijay Deverakonda.

"It has got great special effects, an ensemble star cast which is one of the biggest in recent times, there are so many interesting cameos by some of the stalwarts of the industry.

"Prabhas' last two films haven't done well. 'Saaho' did not do well, 'Saalar' was average. Besides money, there are a lot of things which will be at stake will be the reputation of Prabhas, Deepika, and of course, Mr Bachchan and Kamal Haasan," said Wankhede.

According to Adarsh, the film will do good business with its multilingual release, plus its overseas collection, digital, satellite, and music rights.

"It's a bit too early to say how it will fair eventually but it will be another feather in the cap of Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, and the director and the production house. They have pulled off something like this," he said.

Wankhede said "Kalki 2898 AD" has been designed as a "pan-India hit".

"There is Kamal Haasan, who is a favourite of the Tamil audience. Vijay Deverakonda caters to the Telugu audience. Then, we have Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone who cater to the north belt," he said.

"There's a song 'Bhairava Anthem' which features Prabhas with Diljit Dosanjh who caters to the Punjabi audience. The entire world likes watching these people on screen, so 'Kalki' is a pan-India film," the analyst added.

Ticket prices have also been hiked.

"Prices have have gone as high as Rs 2,300 in PVR (for premium lounge shows). And in Hyderabad, the ticket prices have been increased by Rs 70-80 because the film's budget is around Rs 600 crore. But it is not going to be a problem in people watching the film," he said.

Saksena said the movie has received "spectacular interest" from audiences opting to watch the mass entertainer at single-screen theatres, contributing to a massive 60 per cent of ticket sales on BookMyShow so far.

"With the film's extensive reach encompassing diverse audience segments, including both multiplexes and widespread single-screen presence, the potential it holds knows no bounds. Close to 45 per cent cinephiles have opted for 3D and IMAX formats of the film, gunning for the immersive big screen experience," he added.

Praising the lead cast of the movie, Adarsh said he is looking forward to the second part of "Kalki 2898 AD", something the makers revealed at the end.

Large crowds, some people beating drums, were seen outside theatres in several cities, including Hyderabad and Mumbai.

The initial reviews were favourable.

“VFX is really good, one must watch it in 3D. You will feel like you are in a realistic cinema and transported to another century. It is a realistic film," said a fan who watched the first day first show of "Kalki 2898 AD" in Mumbai.

"The movie is fantastic. In Indian cinema, this kind of movie has not happened," added a cinegoer from Hyderabad.

More For You

Val Kilmer

From Iceman to Jim Morrison, Val Kilmer's transformative performances cemented his place as one of Hollywood’s finest actors

Instagram/Getty Images

Hollywood legend: 5 most iconic roles of Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer wasn’t just an actor for all of us, right? He was like a force of nature. A man who didn’t just play characters but became them, leaving pieces of his soul on the screen every single time. With his passing in 2025, we lost one of the greats, but his performances? They’re immortal.

Here’s a tribute to the roles that made us laugh, cry, and sit in stunned silence, the ones that proved, again and again, that Kilmer was pure magic.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jennifer Lawrence & Cooke Maroney Welcome Their Second Child

Jennifer Lawrence spotted with husband Cooke Maroney

SplashNews.com/Christopher Peterson /

Jennifer Lawrence welcomes second child with Cooke Maroney

Jennifer Lawrence and her husband, Cooke Maroney, have welcomed their second child, expanding their family of three to four. The couple, who are already parents to their three-year-old son Cy, were seen taking a stroll in New York City just days after the baby’s arrival.

Although the couple has not publicly shared details about their new-born, insider sources have confirmed the news. The Hunger Games actress and Maroney have been married since October 2019, tying the knot in a private ceremony at the historic Belcourt of Newport mansion in Rhode Island.

Keep ReadingShow less
Adolescence

Netflix’s Adolescence quickly climbs the all-time charts, surpassing major hits like Stranger Things 3

Netflix

‘Adolescence’ surpasses ‘Stranger Things 3’ on Netflix in 17 days with 96.7 million views

Netflix’s latest limited series, Adolescence, has taken the platform by storm, racking up 96.7 million views in just 17 days. This unexpected success has pushed Stranger Things 3 down to the tenth spot on Netflix’s all-time most popular English-language TV series list, while Bridgerton Season 2 has dropped off completely.

Released on March 13, Adolescence follows the gripping story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller, played by Owen Cooper, who finds himself charged with the murder of a classmate. The series, directed by Philip Barantini and starring Stephen Graham, has connected with viewers worldwide, making its way into the Top 10 charts in all 93 countries where Netflix rankings are available.

Keep ReadingShow less
David Fincher Directs ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ Sequel

This sequel is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated film projects in recent years

Getty

'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' sequel on Netflix: David Fincher helms film written by Quentin Tarantino starring Brad Pitt

David Fincher is set to direct a sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, with Quentin Tarantino penning the script for the follow-up to his Academy Award-winning film. The project, confirmed by Variety, does not yet have an official title but is being developed at Netflix, where Fincher holds a first-look deal. Brad Pitt will reprise his role as Cliff Booth, the stuntman with a dark past.

The film marks a particularly unique collaboration, not only due to one renowned filmmaker directing a sequel to another’s work but also because of its transition from theatrical release to a streaming platform. The original Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was released in 2019 by Sony Pictures, but Tarantino had negotiated a deal that would grant him ownership of the film’s underlying rights after a set period. The fact that this sequel is being developed under Fincher’s Netflix agreement suggests that Tarantino may already hold the sequel rights privately.

Keep ReadingShow less
Laapata Ladies

Kiran Rao’s critically acclaimed film is now under fire after a viral video compared its plot to Burqa City

Instagram

'Laapata Ladies' makers accused of plagiarism as similarity with Arab film 'Burqa City' surface

Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, which received critical acclaim and was selected as India’s official entry for the 2025 Oscars, is now facing accusations of plagiarism. A viral video circulating on social media has drawn comparisons between Rao’s film and Burqa City, a 2019 Arabic short film by French filmmaker Fabrice Bracq.

What’s the controversy?

Keep ReadingShow less