Kalki 2898 AD — Source Code
I believe Kalki 2898 AD marks a significant milestone in Indian cinema as the first film to fully embrace a futuristic setting. The story and execution are truly world-class.
However, as the saying goes, “Good artists copy, great artists steal,” and Kalki 2898 AD does borrow — a LOT. Here, I attempt to catalog the sources from which the movie draws its ‘inspiration.’ I believe the fact that the director drew heavily from various sources does not diminish the creativity required to weave them into a coherent narrative.
- Mad Max — The clothing and vehicles in the post-apocalyptic world of Kalki 2898 AD are reminiscent of Mad Max.
2. Avatar — Shambala and the tree bear a striking resemblance to the Na’vi’s Home Tree in Avatar. Additionally, Bujji’s design seems inspired by the mechas from Avatar.
3. Cloud Atlas — Sumati’s scenes in the lab and the daily routine pods are straight out of Cloud Atlas.
4. The Mandalorian— The concept of a wandering bounty hunter is borrowed from The Mandalorian.
5. Star Wars — The robot army is reminiscent of the droid armies from Star Wars.
6. Black Panther — The energy field protecting Shambala and the final fight sequence draw from Black Panther.
7. Blade Runner 2049 — The atmospheric tone and world-building, as well as the concept of “The Complex,” are influenced by Blade Runner 2049.
8. Elysium — The idea of the wealthy living in an alternate world while the majority suffer in squalor mirrors the premise of Elysium.
9. Avengers: Infinity War — Krishna removing the stone from Ashwaddhama’s head echoes a pivotal moment from Avengers: Infinity War.
10. Dune — The attempted assassination of Supreme Yaskin parallels the scene in Dune where Leto attempts to kill the Baron.
This list is not exhaustive, but it is based on my knowledge of sci-fi films. I believe it’s okay to borrow, steal, or “get inspired by” when attempting something as groundbreaking as Kalki 2898 AD. Others have done it before.
For example, when Dev-D was released, I was furious that Anurag Kashyap had shamelessly copied the entire movie from the German-Turkish film Gegen die Wand. It wasn’t just a mere inspiration — it was a scene-by-scene replication, including the camera work and cinematography. But over time, I saw how Anurag evolved as a director, eventually creating a style of his own. I am less furious now, and I’ve even grown somewhat tolerant of his smug hot takes on Indian cinema.
I hope Nag Ashwin uses Kalki 2898 AD as a springboard to discover and refine his own style in the future.
