Kalki 2898 AD, the epic science fiction movie directed by Nag Ashwin, has proven to be a significant commercial triumph. The film features a talented ensemble cast, including Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan and is deeply rooted in Indian mythology. Despite this, fans have noticed specific influences from Western cinema in Nag Ashwin’s work. Particularly, Kamal Haasan’s character, Supreme Yaskin, has been likened to the antagonist of Harry Potter, Voldemort. During a recent interview, the director acknowledged that he drew inspiration from the JK Rowling franchise, although not specifically for Ulaganayagan’s role.
During a recent conversation with the media, Nag Ashwin disclosed that he drew inspiration from Western films for his passion project. Nevertheless, the skilled filmmaker refuted claims of being influenced by Voldemort from the Harry Potter series for Kamal Haasan’s character Supreme Yaskin. The director cited old Tibetan monks, known to live up to 120-130 years, as the primary reference for Yaskin. Kamal Haasan consistently cited the portrait of Dorian Gray from Oscar Wilde’s 1890 philosophical novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” as his inspiration. Unfortunately, there were limited film references available for the ancient appearance of Supreme Yaskin. Nevertheless, Nag Ashwin drew inspiration from the Harry Potter series when naming the character portrayed by Vinay Kumar. Vinay’s character, Sirius, in Kalki 2898 AD, was named after Sirius Black (portrayed by renowned actor Gary Oldman in the movie), who is known as the Godfather of Harry Potter and one of the marauders.
Nag Ashwin, who also discussed drawing inspiration from Western cinema, disclosed that Prabhas’s character, Bhairava, was inspired by Marvel characters. However, the Guardians of the Galaxy, rather than Ironman, inspired the character. The director, a devoted Star Wars fan, acknowledged that the franchise has greatly influenced Kalki 2898 AD, particularly in terms of the film’s aesthetics.
