The saga of Ashwathama, an immortal who has witnessed the rise and fall of human civilization across millennia, finds a stunning visual portrayal in the global blockbuster Kalki 2898 AD. Studio Eeksaurus, under the visionary guidance of Suresh Eriyat, crafted a breathtaking 90-second animated sequence that encapsulates this epic chronicle. Eriyat seized the opportunity to showcase animation’s power to convey complex narratives without extensive explanations or voiceovers, resulting in a sequence titled Wait of Ashwatthama (Keshava Madhava). This piece stands as a testament to animation’s ability to tell profound stories with minimal explanation.
Reflecting on his collaboration with director Nag Ashwin, the national award-winning animation veteran shared, “Being a part of a mega-blockbuster like Kalki was an exhilarating experience for me and my team. My goal has always been to demonstrate the power of animation to the Indian audience, especially beyond the realm of cartoons.
Animation can deliver impactful messages in a short span of time, and this project perfectly aligned with that vision.” The film boasts an ensemble cast, including Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Disha Patani, and Keerthy Suresh, whose stellar performances, coupled with the seamless integration of cutting-edge technology and human emotions, have earned the film widespread acclaim.
Studio Eeksaurus faced the challenge of depicting humanity’s transformation in a brief time, emphasizing the rise of cruelty and atrocities. Due to the tight schedule, they collaborated with multiple studios to complete the animation. “Ideally, a sequence of this complexity would need at least three months of dedicated production, but we had to complete it in just one month,” Eriyat shared.
Understanding Ashwin’s vision, the team explored various historical catastrophes resulting from human greed, refining their approach through iterative feedback. The final sequence, incorporating at least ten depictions of human atrocities, was intricately woven into the narrative fabric of the film, highlighting issues such as deforestation, cruelty against animals, wars, and historical tragedies like the Colosseum of Rome and the Holocaust.
Ashwin collaborated with Eriyat, impressed by his remarkable projects, particularly recent 2D animation works. However, during the initial stages, Ashwin’s team faced uncertainty about whether to use 2D or 3D animation for the sequence. Eriyat’s team primarily used TV Paint software to create the animation. The hand-drawn style, new and unfamiliar to the Kalki team, raised questions about the smoothness and appearance of the frames. Eriyat noted, “This experience underscored the importance of showcasing unique animation styles on the big screen, allowing audiences to appreciate the unconventional visual styles that animation can offer.”
The team was racing against time, aiming for something so ambitious that even the Kalki team couldn’t fully anticipate the effort required. Eriyat disclosed, “I had to explain our process several times—drawing and painting frame by frame, layer by layer, making decisions and finalizing the sequences. Once everything was finalized, we were left with just about a month to produce the sequence. There were moments when it seemed uncertain if we could meet the 27 June deadline. We worked tirelessly on the sequence even on the 20 and 21 June, and ultimately delivered it on the 23rd, just in time for the film release.”
The sequence features music composed by Santhosh Narayanan, who lent his voice to the Telugu version, with Bachchan’s voice adding significant depth to the Hindi version. Eriyat concluded on a light-hearted note, expressing his eagerness to collaborate with Ashwin again on something even more challenging. “Hopefully not with such tight timelines!” he joked.
