"Over 1,200 DNEG and ReDefine Artists Deliver 900+ VFX Shots for 2024 Blockbuster ‘Kalki 2898 AD’"

A director’s vision can make or break a film, and in the case of 'Kalki 2898 AD', Nag Ashwin’s bold sci-fi epic has already sparked plenty of buzz, even before its release. Ashwin's creative universe was first teased through the animated series ''B&B: Bujji and Bhairava'' on Amazon Prime, setting the stage for what was to come.

Fast forward to June 27, when 'Kalki 2898 AD' premiered and took the box office by storm, crossing the Rs 900 crore mark globally. As a sci-fi spectacle, visuals were at the heart of this film’s success, and Ashwin pulled out all the stops. Leading VFX studio DNEG, known for their groundbreaking work, brought his vision to life with jaw-dropping effects that helped elevate the film’s massive scale. 

Inspired by Hindu mythology, 'Kalki 2898 AD' reimagines the legend of Kalki, the 10th and final avatar of Lord Vishnu, prophesied to emerge at the end of Kali Yuga, the age of darkness. The film's star-studded cast—Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Disha Patani, and Keerthy Suresh—delivers powerful performances, blending human emotion with cutting-edge tech.

Audiences have been raving about the film’s breathtaking visuals and seamless storytelling, proving that with the right team, a director’s ambitious vision can truly shine. 'Kalki 2898 AD' has captivated viewers and raised the bar for Indian sci-fi cinema.

''Visual Effects: A Collaborative Masterpiece Behind 'Kalki 2898 AD'''

The stunning visuals of 'Kalki 2898 AD' are nothing short of a collaborative masterpiece. Spearheaded by the renowned VFX powerhouse DNEG, the film’s cutting-edge effects were brought to life with the support of top studios like StealthWorks Taiwan, Folks VFX, Lola VFX, The Embassy VFX, Pixstone Images, and Labyrinth. Together, these studios created a visual spectacle that has captivated audiences worldwide.

With over 900 shots meticulously crafted, DNEG and its sister studio ReDefine mobilized a team of more than 1,200 artists to bring some of the film’s most jaw-dropping scenes to life. In an exclusive interview with 'Animation Xpress', ReDefine Sofia studio head and VFX supervisor Peter Dimitrov, along with DNEG’s VFX supervisor Tom Proctor, offered a glimpse into the magic behind the film’s stunning visuals.

Interestingly, much of their groundbreaking work wasn’t revealed in the trailers. Their most impressive contributions were saved for the film’s thrilling climax, which has left audiences in awe. DNEG, led by Proctor, was responsible for the breathtaking fight scenes and the dramatic destruction sequences that define the film’s explosive conclusion. Meanwhile, ReDefine focused on key establishing shots, the high-speed Bujji car sequences, assembling massive fleets, and the intense ground troop battles.

Together, these teams have transformed 'Kalki 2898 AD' into a cinematic visual experience that sets a new standard for sci-fi storytelling in Indian cinema.

''Crafting Epic Battles and Futuristic Vehicles: Behind the VFX of 'Kalki 2898 AD'''

Creating the breathtaking visuals for 'Kalki 2898 AD' was no small feat, especially when it came to the epic battles and futuristic vehicles that have wowed audiences. DNEG’s VFX supervisor Tom Proctor revealed in an exclusive interview how his team brought director Nag Ashwin’s vision to life, focusing on the film's climactic scenes and intricate world-building.

"We contributed to the final battle," Proctor explained. "We created digital doubles for the main characters and a vast library of crowd agents for the background. Our environment work involved extending the practical sets to showcase the surrounding mountains, the terraced city with its diverse architecture, the iconic bridge, and the Tree of Life. We also built various vehicles like the futuristic car 'Bujji', the sleek monobikes, and Raider pods."

One of the standout features in the film is Prabhas's futuristic car, 'Bujji', which almost feels like a character in its own right. Designed collaboratively by Mahindra Research Valley and JayemAutomotives Coimbatore, 'Bujji' dazzles on screen. ReDefine VFX supervisor Peter Dimitrov shared his experience working on the car sequences, saying, “We primarily used a digital version of the car for most shots, but I was really impressed by the detailed craftsmanship of the practical model. I only recently found out it’s fully operational and drivable!”

DNEG's role went far beyond visual spectacle. A key part of their project was planning the storytelling for the film’s high-octane action sequences. “Nag Ashwin provided us with animatics that included storyboards, stunt visualizations, and even some shots filmed with an iPhone using small models,” Proctor said. “We would block out these scenes in layout and animation, and if I felt a certain beat wasn’t clear or could be more efficient, I’d suggest changes. Nag was very open to feedback, which made the collaboration both enjoyable and productive.”

Proctor also credited the swift and efficient work of DNEG’s layout supervisors, Anand Pai and Lovaprasad Penke, for quickly iterating and refining the action sequences. Once a sequence was approved, the animation supervisor Rahule Bochare and his team brought it to life, finalizing the animation to perfection.

From intense battles to jaw-dropping vehicle designs, 'Kalki 2898 AD' has pushed the boundaries of visual effects in Indian cinema, delivering an immersive sci-fi world that seamlessly blends cutting-edge technology with compelling storytelling.

''Overcoming Creative Challenges in 'Kalki 2898 AD'''

As audiences immerse themselves in the stunning visuals of 'Kalki 2898 AD', many have drawn comparisons to iconic films like 'Dune' and 'Star Wars'. When asked about any international films that inspired the visuals, ReDefine’s VFX supervisor Peter Dimitrov explained, “Our sequence featured a diverse range of effects essential to the storytelling. To kick off discussions with director Nag Ashwin, we created original concept art that outlined the direction he envisioned.”

On such a grand-scale production, establishing a strong visual language from the start is crucial for seamless operations. Dimitrov noted, “While we aimed to set this early on, the expanding scope led to unexpected challenges where quick and effective solutions were vital. Luckily, we had exceptional compositing supervisors like Rajesh Madishetty and Vishesh Pachisia, whose teamwork was instrumental in navigating these hurdles.”

DNEG faced particular challenges with the digidoubles, which were designed for smaller screens but had to be adapted for full-screen use as Ashwin’s vision expanded. Proctor shared, “This was a significant difficulty, especially since we had limited photogrammetry and texture photography from the shoot. Upscaling digidoubles, particularly the faces, was extremely challenging.”

As production progressed, the scope of work kept expanding, forcing the team to split their efforts and form an additional group to tackle the climactic scenes. “We not only had to revise the digidoubles but also adapt numerous assets for destruction sequences, develop complex visual effects under tight deadlines, and integrate new photographic elements that arrived just weeks before we wrapped up,” Proctor explained.

Integrating hero photography from multiple shoots over an extended period also posed challenges. The seamless blending of these varied plates into the final composition stands as a testament to the exceptional work of their compositing team.

'Kalki 2898 AD', a high-budget extravaganza with a reported budget of Rs 600 crore, has been the talk of the town since its announcement. This much-anticipated mythological epic, spanning 6,000 years, has set a high benchmark for Indian cinema. As the film continues to break records and exceed expectations, audiences are eagerly speculating about a potential sequel, wondering where this captivating cinematic universe will venture next.