'Kalki 2898 AD': Designer breaks down Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas's costumes
Hyderabad-based fashion designer Archana Rao has revealed her costume design process for the upcoming sci-fi film Kalki 2898 AD. This marks the first time in her career that she was tasked with designing costumes for an entire cast. Previously, Rao collaborated with director Nag Ashwin on projects like Mahanati and Netflix's Telugu anthology Pitta Kathalu. Kalki 2898 AD features Amitabh Bachchan as Ashwatthama, an immortal character inspired by the Mahabharata.
Rao's unique approach to Bachchan's character
In a conversation with The Hindu, Rao revealed that her design process for Bachchan's character involved visualizing him as "old as a tree." She used fine mul cotton, subjected to multiple dyeing processes, to achieve an aged look. The fabric was distressed until it appeared sheer and had a tree bark motif printed onto it. When Bachchan first tried on the costume, Rao recalls that "it looked brilliant." She also described him as "the most hardworking actor on set."
Rao's design approach for different film settings
The film's narrative unfolds in three distinct settings: Kasi, the Complex, and Shambala. Each required a unique design approach from Rao and her team. In Kasi, where people survive with minimal resources, costumes were imagined as collages of discarded materials such as metals, plastics, rubber and synthetics. The costume department also designed hundreds of costumes for the 'raiders,' or the army of the Complex, using durable rubber-coated neoprene fabric.
Rao's design for Prabhas's character
Rao also designed the suit and armor for Prabhas's character Bhairava, imagined as being constructed from "discarded material." The chest plate of the armor features a motif inspired by kantha embroidery, and the suit was made using foam latex for functionality. "There are fun details on his shoes such as boosters attached to them that would help him power off into the air. His attire also has shin guards for protection."
The challenge of working on the massive film
Since the film is mounted on a huge scale, the task at hand was mammoth. "We planned one segment, one character, one task at a time so that it does not become intimidating. For all of us — the direction team, costume design, production design, cinematography — it was like working on several small projects within one big project." "It seemed daunting at first, but it was also easy to coordinate since we knew what each one was doing."
Know more about the film, release date, plot
Set in the year 2898 AD, Kalki depicts Kasi as the last surviving city under a totalitarian regime led by Supreme Yaskin. The plot revolves around Kalki, a mysterious figure believed to be the tenth and final avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani are also a part of the cast. The film will release on Thursday.
