Hollywood Easter eggs in Kalki 2898 AD that we can't get over!

While watching Kalki 2898 AD, it was hard to ignore the various references to Hollywood films throughout this three hour film. Let's unpack these parallels!

Nag Ashwin's 'Kalki 2898 AD' has generated a lot of buzz, with people flocking to theaters to catch this film. While this film has been criticized, noone can deny that it's indeed a great accomplishment for Indian cinema: it showcases a blend of cutting-edge visuals on a grand scale. However, as we watched the film, we couldn't help but notice some striking similarities with Hollywood films. From Avengers Endgame to Star Wars and even Mad Max, we saw glimpses of them all in this one! 

Let's take a closer look at these parallels!

Also Read: Kalki 2898 AD review: Flashy visuals try too hard to impress

Avengers franchise

The character of Bhairava seems to have taken inspiration from Iron Man. The AI droid, Bujji in Kalki seems like a familiar face (or voice). It's like they took a page out of Iron Man’s book with Jarvis.Towards the climax of Kalki 2898 AD, Bhairava (Prabhas) sits in his car, giving it his all to steer it. Doesn’t it remind you of Iron Man trying to return to Earth in Avengers Endgame? Also, the face off between Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan) and Bhairava reminds me of the face off between Hulk and Iron Man. Even Iron Man and Bhairava's pose is the same. 

Blade Runner 2049

Okay, this one might be a bit of a stretch, but the dingy lanes and neon signs in Kalki give off some serious Blade Runner 2049 vibes.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

At the start of Kalki, Mariam (Shobhana) appears as a hologram. Déjà vu, anyone? Princess Leia did it first in Star Wars to warn the others about the upcoming war.

Star Wars

Supreme Yaskin (Kamal Haasan) looks like Supreme Leader Snoke with a deformed face and a scar across the head. And let’s not forget the lightsaber training session for Bhairava!

Spiderman 2

Supreme Yaskin with four hands? Reminds you of Otto Octavius from Spiderman 2, right? Those extra hands sure come in handy!

Thor

Shambhala’s architecture feels like Thor’s Asgard inspired it. The mythical aura around Shambhala resembled that of Asgard, I feel. Is it just me?

The Handmaid’s Tale

A dystopian world where women are caged for their fertility. Sound familiar? In Gilead, women are held captive by commanders. In Kalki, they’re held in a lab to serve Supreme Yaskin. 

Mad Max: Furiosa

While some say the color palette of Kalki resembles Dune, I think it screams Mad Max: Furiosa more. Those desert bounty hunter scenes? Straight out of Mad Max.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

When Bhairava’s car turns into an ape-like machine, it’s hard not to think of the Transformers cars that transform into robots. The way they move and fight are so similar!

Avatar

Both Pandora and Shambhala feature a giant tree that symbolizes life and hope. While in Kalki, it has no name, it still seems to be derived from Avatar's Tree of Souls. 

Dune

Kalki 2898 AD is the opposite of Dune in many ways. Kalki is all about hero worship, while Dune is the opposite. But here’s a similarity: both Bhairava and Paul are unaware that they are the messiahs.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Peter Quill and Bhairava could be twins separated at birth. Both have daddy issues, were brought up in misery, and are out there looking out for themselves reasonably but selfishly.

Adipurush

The young Amitabh Bachchan in Kalki brings back memories of the questionable visuals in Adipurush! Tell me you can't see the similarities!

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Remember in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when Voldemort resurrects himself with a regeneration potion that has Harry’s blood? Supreme Yaskin's transformation in Kalki after getting the serum from Sumati is a pretty similar scene, don’t you think?

Did you spot any Hollywood Easter eggs in Kalki 2898 AD that we missed out on? Share them with us in the comments below!