Nag Ashwin: ‘Deepika’s character is most important in the film’

Stating that Kalki 2898 AD’s story is centred on Padukone’s character, director Nag Ashwin talks about how he was careful about shooting the climax with pregnant actor

Taking a film, which demanded the last four years of your life, to the audiences can be satisfying as well as nerve-wracking. For Nag Ashwin, it’s exhilarating. His sci-fi actioner, Kalki 2898 AD, made over Rs 400 crore in the domestic market within a week of its release. “It’s satisfying to see people enjoy and write congratulatory messages that usually start with ‘Thank you for making this film,’” he grins.

Creating a futuristic world must have been a challenge, coupled with the pressure of doing justice to the all-star cast. But Ashwin says his actors—Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas and Deepika Padukone—made his job easier. They brought not only their talent to the project, but also their professionalism and acuity, leaving no room for insecurity or fears about limited screen time. “We call them legends and superstars because they have judgment about a film, they are secure about their purpose in the story, and how their role would expand or be limited in this part. Discussions about who has more screen time probably come [into play] when the actors are upcoming, younger or less secure.”

Nag Ashwin

Among Kalki 2898 AD’s most-talked about aspects is Padukone’s character SUM-80 aka Sumathi, the mother of Kalki. The promos gave the impression that she had a small role. The director, however, was always clear that Sumathi was the most important character. “We had to hide a bit of her story. But in a way, the film is all about her. She is the story, the film’s most important character. We’ll definitely see a lot more of her in the second part.” Padukone was pregnant when she shot for the movie’s climax. Naturally then, her comfort was Ashwin’s top priority. “We were very careful, making sure she was comfortable with every shot. I’m happy that in a way, Deepika’s baby made its screen debut,” he smiles.

The movie’s smashing success has shown that contrary to popular notion, sci-fi films have takers in India. If Ashwin has one tip to give, it is that the genre doesn’t matter, the story does. “Get your story right first. The setting and VFX are secondary. If you have a great story and even if a few VFX shots fall short, it’s fine.” As he looks forward to working on the second part, he is mindful of the criticism that the first edition is receiving regarding its slow pace in the first-half. “We’ve shot for probably 20 days of the second part. With Kalki, there were so many characters to be introduced. So, we took our time. But I’m listening to the feedback and trying to make sure that we make a much better [second part].”

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