Fantasy-tic dystopian sci-fi, year 2898

Nonika Singh

Many of us cinephiles have always believed that India’s answer to Hollywood’s ‘Avengers’ and Marvel Cinematic Universe lies in our layered and surrealistic mythology. Telugu director Nag Ashwin has not only managed to dig deep into our mythical tales like the much-anticipated 10th avatar of Vishnu, Kalki, but even married those fantastical tales with sci-fi and a dystopian world. On paper, this is exciting as hell. In execution, this alchemy of two disparate realms, one lying in our ancient past and one envisaged centuries from now, calls for some ingenuity. And loads of inspiration, which unsurprisingly comes as much from the epic ‘Mahabharata’ as from Hollywood movies.

The complex where the so-called Supreme Yaskin and his minions live and have monopolised all resources has a ring of ‘Hunger Games’. Many locales of Kashinagri, where there is no water, Ganga has dried up and people are fighting for a half-eaten apple remind one of the majestic ‘Dune’. Supreme, though he appears rather late in the film, one could say has the bleeding heart for environment, much like Thanos of ‘Avengers’. Only his bid to amass power has a more sinister tone and is called Project K, which is what the film was initially titled.

Fertile girls are picked up, impregnated and before they can deliver the baby, serum is extracted and delivered to the Supreme, who is hanging on an artificial support system. Amid these women held in captivity is our lovely Deepika Padukone (suitably understated with just the right degree of vulnerability), who has failed the fertility test, and yet is 150 days’ pregnant. The trailers have already told you who she is carrying….

At one level, the conflict between the outside world and those ensconced within the complex is typical good versus evil, just like all superhero tales. Still, the story has power and would have gained more impact if it had not given in to the perils that come with a superstar-driven tent-pole film. So, as Prabhas is introduced as Bhairava early on, he must get enough screen time to flex his muscles and spew a few wisecracks. Supposedly funny, but call it lost in translation, or lack of imagination on the writers’ part, not all one-liners, especially his banter with his AI partner, tickle our funny bone.

Yes, this is a futuristic era where even a bounty hunter with no money (here, it is units) has state-of-the-art technology at his disposal. Before we raise our eyebrows, we are told Bhairava managed to assemble it all from scraps in a junkyard. His mission in life is to get inside the complex. Much time is frittered away in projecting its hero via fights and a romantic twist (Disha Patani as Roxie). But things truly enliven when the focus shifts to its other hero, yes, Amitabh Bachchan. That famous baritone voice, that imposing presence, the ‘angry giant man’ is everything we have all loved in him and a lot more. Playing an action hero at 81…. unbelievable, but there is no incongruity in his superhuman qualities. After all, he is the indestructible Ashwatthama, son of Guru Dronacharya, condemned to live forever. And is Big B phenomenal… if many of his fight sequences with Prabhas are the high point, so is his focused devotion to protect the pregnant mother.

While the first half meanders unnecessarily, there is a touristy visit inside the complex where it seems all good things of life and nature have been preserved. The film begins to find traction in the second half. A classic case of too late. But in the last 40 minutes or so, it almost explodes into a never- seen-before spectacle in Indian cinema. The climatic high is stunningly engaging and evocative too. One wonders what exactly was Ashwin doing or thinking before executing this masterful display of special effects, fight sequences and even those delectable plot twists.

Indeed, the atmospherics, thanks to cinematographer Djordje Stojiljkovic and production design by Nitin Zihani Choudhary, remain consistent throughout the film. Juxtaposition of the two fabled worlds is not in the least bit jarring. And the two big reveals in the end, one just like the MCU movies soon after the credits roll, keep us wanting for more.

We, for one, are certainly looking for that much promised sequel. Only one hopes that next time, Ashwin will get a firmer grip on his material from the very first scene and not get distracted (nor distract us) from the tantalising premise. Just like the people of Shambhala, the safe haven of rebels, keep saying, ‘kal ke liye’, we too are pinning hopes on what is in store for us tomorrow. Today, we understand where the Rs 600-crore budget has gone. And strangely enough, last impressions of the film do remain lasting and we do walk out of cinema halls with the word ‘spectacular’ registering on our mindscape.

The sequel hopefully would demand and command more adjectives, but for now, the dystopian world Nag Ashwin builds calls for attention.