Kalki 2898 AD: Kamal Haasan recollects how Prabhas’ uncle Krishnam Raju threatened him

Directed by Nag Ashwin, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ brings together a stellar cast from both South Indian cinema and Bollywood. This ambitious film stars Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, legendary actor Kamal Haasan, and pan-Indian star Prabhas. With only a few days left before its release, anticipation is high. Producers Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt arranged a special interview featuring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan, during which Kamal Haasan shared intriguing insights about Tollywood.

Kamal Haasan highlighted the discipline in the Telugu film industry, drawing comparisons with Tamil cinema. He recalled advice he received as an assistant director, emphasizing the importance of learning from different industries. “Nag Ashwin’s comments made me very happy,” Kamal said. “When I was an assistant director, I was told to learn from Tamil assistant directors. Personally, I learned a lot from Bollywood. We used to do stunts recklessly, but watching Bollywood taught me to be careful. Amitabh Bachchan mentioned being impressed by the precautions taken on the set of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. After ‘Sholay’, safety measures on sets significantly improved,” Kamal reflected.

Kamal Haasan, who started his film career at the age of three, noted the evolution in filmmaking. “The set of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ was always silent, and I liked that. Amitabh Bachchan also appreciated this atmosphere,” he said. Kamal reminisced about his early days as an assistant dancer when Krishnam Raju was a hero. He shared a humorous anecdote about Krishnamraju’s dancing skills: “Krishnamraju was not a great dancer. When I attempted a difficult step, they took me aside and warned me not to repeat it,” he said with a smile.

Kamal Haasan emphasized the importance of encouraging new talent in the film industry, regardless of language barriers. “Language has nothing to do with those who dream of acting in films. If we support new talent, many more remarkable films will emerge,” he expressed. He also shared his joy over the positive audience feedback for ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, stating, “The Indian audience is now ready to watch any kind of movie, and it’s heartening to see their response to ‘Kalki 2898 AD’.”