Kalki: 2898 AD is a sci-fi epic action drama film starring Prabhas in the lead role. Helmed by Nag Ashwin Reddy of Mahanati (2018) fame, it is the most expensive Indian film ever made and is touted to be a ‘Pan-World’ film, i.e., made with an aim to entertain audiences across the globe. Bankrolled by ace filmmaker Ashwini Dutt, it features an ensemble cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Hassan, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani.

Clearly, the film has all the ingredients to emerge as the next Bahubali, doesn’t it? But, unfortunately, reality tells a different story. In spite of its star cast, Kalki: 2898 AD is struggling to create buzz among audiences. While there are multiple reasons for it, the major one is the lack of proper promotions. With the release date a month away from today, not a single song has been released till date, and all the promotions made so far have been around ‘Bujji’, a special vehicle of the film.

And the posters unveiled so far hardly leave an impact. To be very honest, the film’s only promotional content that gathered any attention was the ‘Title Reveal’ glimpse. Even in the trade, the makers are having a hard time finding buyers. Because, unlike S. S. Rajamouli, Nag Ashwin is not an established filmmaker with a strong brand value among the masses. Indeed, he is only popular among urban and multiplex audiences. 

In simple terms, the makers of Kalki: 2898 AD are taking a huge risk by experimenting and not sticking to conventional marketing methods. While ‘Darling’ fans have high hopes for this Hollywood-level sci-fi epic, regular audiences are hardly excited about it, to say the least. If the makers have to justify the ‘Pan-World’ tag, aggressive promotional campaigns must be held across the length and breadth of the country.