Director Nag Ashwin and actor-producer Rana Daggubati recently made an appearance at the Synapse 2024 event in Gurgaon, sparking intrigue among attendees. At the event, Nag Ashwin divulged intriguing details about his highly anticipated film, Kalki 2898 AD, starring Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan in pivotal roles.

When probed about the film's timeline, Nag Ashwin surprised the audience with his candor, revealing, “The narrative unfolds from the era of Mahabharat and stretches to the year 2898 AD, encompassing a staggering 6000 years of history. Our endeavor was to envision diverse worlds, imbuing them with an unmistakably Indian essence while consciously steering clear of a Blade Runner-esque aesthetic.” Further elaborating on the chronological scope, he shared, “Delving into the annals of time, 6000 years prior to 2898 AD lands us in 3102 BC, coinciding with the era traditionally associated with the departure of Lord Krishna's final avatar.”

Amidst the buzz surrounding the OpenAI Sora, a hot topic of discussion among netizens experimenting with creative exploration, Nag Ashwin revealed his personal detachment from the platform. With his film set for release on May 9, Nag expressed his current preoccupation, yet remained open to exploring AI creativity, stating, “I intend to delve into it soon.”

However, Nag Ashwin raised thought-provoking queries about the intrinsic 'magic' of creations crafted with a human touch versus those generated by AI. Reflecting on the intricate process of conceptualizing and materializing the elaborate sets, designs, and vehicles for his film, he mused, “Our journey entailed a multitude of stages ideation, conceptualization, prototyping, and meticulous craftsmanship. While the prospect of utilizing Sora intrigues me, would its seamless prompt-based approach inadvertently dilute the essence of our labor-intensive creative endeavor?” Contemplating the potential for serendipitous magic to emerge from the arduous creative process, he pondered, “In the crucible of struggle and refinement, might we stumble upon unforeseen wonders? Does the ease of a prompt sacrifice the organic evolution inherent in the artist's journey?