Prabhas-Deepika Padukone’s Kalki 2898 AD is NOT inspired by Harry Potter but by these two Hollywood movies

Nag Ashwin’s dystopian sci-fi film Kalki 2898 AD starring Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Prabhas has been widely acclaimed by the audience and critics alike. Although the film has crossed the Rs 500 crore mark in India, it has been compared to the Harry Potter franchise. The director has now clarified that Harry Potter was not an inspiration for the film. Instead, there are two other Hollywood films that he has mentioned that served as his inspiration.

Kalki 2898 AD blends elements of the Hindu epic Mahabharata with science fiction. Set in the dystopian future of 2898 AD, the story follows a group’s mission to protect the unborn child, Kalki, from SUM-80, an experimental subject. In the year 2898 AD, in a dystopian world ruled by the supreme Yaskin from a megastructure floating above Kasi. The story revolves around the prophecy of Kalki, whose arrival threatens the totalitarian regime. The Shambhala rebels, led by Raia and aided by the immortal Ashwatthama, strive to protect SUM-80, a Project K subject carrying Kalki, from relentless pursuit. The conflict escalates as alliances shift and battles are fought, culminating in a dramatic struggle for freedom and redemption.

Nag Ashwin said about the inspiration behind the film, “We grew up watching Marvel movies. I would say Guardians of the Galaxy was a bigger influence than Iron Man. Star Wars is definitely a huge influence. I love Star Wars, so it’s subconsciously part of my aesthetic.” He added that the character of Luke, played by Harshith Reddy, was inspired by the popular Star Wars character Luke Skywalker. However, he clarified that Harry Potter did not serve as an inspiration for the film, including Kamal Haasan’s portrayal of Supreme Yaskin.

“Our references were these old Tibetan monks, who are supposed to be 120-130 years old. Kamal Haasan would always mention the picture of Dorian Gray (from Oscar Wilde’s 1890 philosophical novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray). That was the sir’s inspiration. We didn’t have a lot of film references for that old look,” Nag told Zoom. He mentioned that the only Harry Potter reference was perhaps Vinay Kumar’s character Sirius, based on Gary Oldman’s popular Harry Potter character Sirius Black.

Meanwhile, Kalki 2898 AD has crossed the Rs 800 crore mark at the worldwide box office, with Rs 500 crore as domestic revenue. The mythological-science fiction action drama, touted as India’s most expensive film with a reported budget of Rs 600 crore, released worldwide on June 27 in six languages.

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