A little over a decade ago, a horror movie titled *The Devil Inside* sparked a notable uproar. Despite its initial buzz, the film has faded into obscurity, and for good reason. It was a low-budget attempt to cash in on the found-footage craze, released during the typically underwhelming month of January. However, *The Devil Inside* remains etched in popular consciousness for one specific reason: its controversial ending. After 90 minutes of inconsequential plot, director William Brent Bell chose to wrap up the movie with an on-screen prompt directing viewers to a website for more information. This unprecedented move outraged audiences and caused a media frenzy. The film earned an abysmal F CinemaScore—an ignominious rating only shared by five other films—and experienced one of the steepest box office declines in history during its second weekend.

Fast forward to the present, and we encounter *Kalki 2898 AD*, a film that essentially pulls off a similar stunt without facing the same backlash. How did a three-hour ordeal, barely qualifying as a cohesive movie, manage to rake in over Rs 1,000 crore without anyone crying foul? Directed by Nag Ashwin, *Kalki 2898 AD* is a mishmash of drama, comedy, and action—often conflicting in tone—but it leaves viewers feeling profoundly duped. This film isn’t so much a narrative as it is a pitch for one, culminating not in a cliffhanger but in a blatant call-to-action. It is, in the truest sense, cinematic clickbait.

*The Devil Inside* may have concluded with an infuriating website link, but at least it had some semblance of structure. In contrast, *Kalki 2898 AD* stretches on for nearly three hours without offering a clear hero or villain. The plot is anchored by Manas, a mundane middle-manager who stands in for the actual antagonist, Supreme Yaskin—a character reminiscent of a poorly rendered Supreme Leader Snoke from *Star Wars: The Last Jedi*. While many films have succeeded without a traditional adversary, few have dared to omit a protagonist entirely. For almost 175 minutes of its 180-minute runtime, the bounty hunter Bhairava—played by Prabhas—comes off more as comic relief than the godlike savior Ashwin intended him to be.

The crux of the issue isn’t merely Bhairava’s last-minute transformation from selfish to savior; it’s that this change is entirely accidental. Throughout the movie, Bhairava’s primary goal is to infiltrate the Complex—a hovering inverted pyramid where society’s elite have sequestered themselves while the rest of the world scrounges in the cyberpunk streets of Kashi. Raised on stories about this utopian enclave, Bhairava dedicates his life to amassing one million “units” to gain entry. It’s hardly an altruistic quest.

This raises obvious questions: if the Complex is so exclusive, why make it accessible? Yet *Kalki 2898 AD* sidesteps such logical inquiries with the nonchalance of a kindergartener ignoring homework. Bhairava gains entry effortlessly and even manages to crash a party, performing an awkward dance routine. Ashwin misses an opportunity here to comment on income inequality or class divide. Instead, Bhairava appears more like a tourist than someone who has suffered under the elite’s oppression.

Ashwin seems to believe Bhairava is a blend of Han Solo and Peter Quill—a charming rogue aware of his self-interest. Bhairava even gets a flashback showing him being rescued by a Yondu-like figure, played by Dulquer Salmaan. However, his sudden change of heart near the film’s end is less character development and more contrived plot twist. Unlike Han Solo’s deliberate return to save his friends, Bhairava’s actions are driven by possession rather than choice. Two seconds later, he reverts to his original self-serving mindset.

Furthermore, Bhairava’s role in the film’s primary plot is not only tangential but often antagonistic. Most viewers will naturally sympathize with Sumathi—played by Deepika Padukone—and Ashwatthama—played by Amitabh Bachchan—both dedicated to protecting Sumathi’s unborn child. This makes Bhairava’s opposition to them all the more baffling. He fights Ashwatthama twice, further muddying his character’s intentions and leaving viewers with an unsatisfactory conclusion.

Ultimately, it shouldn’t matter where Ashwin plans to take this story in future installments or how noble his intentions were. What matters is what’s on screen—and what’s on screen simply isn’t good enough. Bhairava isn’t a reluctant hero; he’s an opportunist. When he discovers that capturing Sumathi offers a greater bounty, he doubles down on his efforts rather than protecting her. He had a choice and made the wrong one. In this way, he mirrors *Kalki 2898 AD* itself—a project driven more by opportunism than genuine storytelling.

In our Post Credits Scene column, we dissect new releases weekly with a focus on context, craft, and characters because there’s always something to analyze once the dust has settled.

For more updates on Bollywood news and top headlines from India and around the world, visit The Indian Express.