Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan has reportedly begun filming for the sequel to the sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD, often referred to as Kalki 2 or Kalki 2898 AD Part 2.
Reportedly the sequel has gone on floors, with initial shooting in Shankarpally, Hyderabad.
Following his widely praised performance as the immortal Ashwatthama, the Senior Bachchan is expected to have a more substantial and action-heavy role in the second installment.
Increased.Sources suggest that the sequel will feature an increased, more central screen presence for Bachchan’s character as the story progresses and the conflict with Kamal Haasan’s character (Yaskin) intensifies.
It’s learned that Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan are reported to have started their portions first, with scenes focusing on their characters.The sequel is being directed by Nag Ashwin and is expected to be grander than the first, with a focus on deeper mythological layers.
Though reports confirm the start of production and the cast, an official announcement from the makers regarding the exact schedule is still awaited.
According to producer Lagadapati Sridhar says Amitabh has once again proven why he remains an icon of Indian cinema.
He feels glad that Bachchan tasted grand success with his maiden Telugu film. He looked stunning and delivered a terrific performance as the epic warrior Ashwathama, something very few actors can pull off
Adding that his charisma is unmatched, and he remains a true institution of acting in Indian cinema.”
He further added that Bachchan has earned immense admiration among Telugu audiences. “Along with him(Sridhar), there are crores of Telugu fans who adored his style, baritone voice, and swag across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Sridhar further went on to point out that Amitabh had already dominated the Telugu box office amidst the 1970s to 1990s with blockbuster Hindi films such as Sholay, Amar Akbar Antony, Don, Naseeb, and Coolie. Further adding that his gangster classic Don ran for over a year at the Tarakarama Theatre in Hyderabad, clearly proving his crowd-pulling prowess. Sholay enjoyed silver jubilee runs in five to six centres in united Andhra Pradesh, while Cookie was also a major money spinner,” he recalled.
Sridhar further adds that Bachchan’s popularity extended across Hyderabad, Vijayawada, and Vizag, with Telugu audiences consistently thronging theatres for his films. Even movies like Shehenshah created huge buzz and opened strongly in united Andhra Pradesh. However, his market in Telugu states gradually fizzled out over time,” he added.
After focusing largely on Bollywood films, Bachchan made a brief Telugu comeback with Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, featuring megastar Chiranjeevi. “Unfortunately, it failed to set the box office on fire. The role was poorly etched for an actor of Amitabh’s stature, which disappointed his Telugu fans,” as per director Hemanth Madhukar.
However, he firmly believes that Kalki has restored Bachchan’s glory in Telugu cinema. “As Ashwathama, he delivered an author-backed role filled with substance and even eclipsed Prabhas in a few scenes with his sheer acting calibre,” he said. “At 83 years of age, Amitabh Bachchan is still choosing powerful roles and is bound to grip audiences once again in Kalki 2.”
News Edit KV Raman
