Directed by the visionary Nag Ashwin, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ continues Tollywood’s legacy of being centre of attention with captivating Pan-Indian films, marking a proud and overwhelming moment for Telugu cinema enthusiasts. From crossing the ₹200 crore mark on its opening day to surpassing ₹500 crore in just four days, and reaching a staggering ₹1000 crore within two weeks of its release, the film has maintained its global appeal as it enters its fourth week.
All-Time Second Biggest Grosser in North America, Beating Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Pathaan’
Featuring a star-studded cast from various Indian film industries, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has captured international attention. Prabhas, starring as Bhairava and Karnan, delivered a breathtaking climax that has left fans in awe. Known for his crowd-pulling power, Prabhas is not only dominating the Indian box office with nearly ₹600 crore but also making waves globally.
The film has broken records, surpassing Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Pathaan’ to become the all-time second-biggest grosser in North America for any Indian movie, earning over $18 million. Prabhas is now the only Indian actor with two films topping the North American charts, with his 2017 blockbuster ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’ still holding the top spot for the past seven years.
Must Read: Ahead Of ‘Stree 2’: Revisiting Maddockverse’s Epic Supernatural Horror-Comedy Movies!
‘Kalki 2898 AD’s’ Heroic Debut in North America
Released on June 27th, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ achieved a notable $5.4 million in its North American debut, which, while modest compared to other Hollywood blockbusters, marks a significant achievement for Indian cinema. As promised a Hollywood-like experience, the film is surely making a remarkable impact and competing with Western films, signalling an expansion of South Indian cinema’s global reach.
Breaking SS Rajamouli’s Record
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has also outperformed SS Rajamouli’s 2022 film ‘RRR’ too, which previously held the record for significant global box office impact. The film has grossed around $100 million, including $7.3 million in the U.S., making it the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. Its debut performance is the biggest since ‘RRR’ earned $9.5 million in March 2022.
First Indian Film to Earn a Panel at San Diego Comic-Con
Also, last year in the summer, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ made history by becoming the first Indian film to secure a Hall H panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, with filmmaker Nag Ashwin and Rana Daggubati representing the film.
The success of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, the most expensive film from India’s southern region, suggests that big-budget blockbusters from this area could set a new trend in global cinema. This historic success and recent hits from Tollywood marks a major turnaround for the region’s film industry.
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ was released originally in Telugu including in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. The magnum opus also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, and Kamal Haasan, whose more extravagant appearance will be seen in the next part. The cast includes Deepika Padukone, Shobana, Brahmanandam, Disha Patani, Anna Ben, and Pasupathy, with surprising cameos from Vijay Deverakonda, Dulquer Salmaan, Ram Gopal Varma, SS Rajamouli, Mrunal Thakur and more.
