Not Kamal Haasan, This South Actor Was Offered The Role Of The Antagonist In Kalki 2898 AD First – News18

The Kalki 2898 AD fever is still spinning its magic at the box office. Even after a month since its release, many screens are still running shows of the film. Kalki 2898 AD has become the highest-grossing Indian film of 2024 and the 6th highest-grossing Indian film of all time. The film’s perfect weaving of Hindu mythology with science-fiction elements was lauded by critics and audiences alike. Every character in the film has become memorable. While Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of Ashwatthama, the immortal son of Guru Dronacharya from the Mahabharata received maximum attention, one actor who left a huge mark, despite limited screen presence was Kamal Haasan.

Kamal Haasan played Supreme Yaskin, a totalitarian god-king who rules over Kashi, the last surviving city in a post-apocalyptic world. Kamal Haasan appeared in only two scenes in the film and is expected to have a larger role in the sequel to the film. Known for his impeccable acting skills, Kamal Haasan instilled dread among viewers with his antagonistic performance of Supreme Yaskin. However, do you know that Kamal Haasan initially turned down the film and another actor was considered for the role?

The actor who was almost finalised for the role of Supreme Yaskin was none other than Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. When director Nag Ashwin initially contacted Kamal Haasan for the project, the actor said that he was busy shooting for Indian 2 and would not be able to allocate dates to Kalki 2898 AD. Nag Ashwin then decided to cast Mohanlal in the role. Just the day before Nag Ashwin was supposed to approach Mohanlal with the script, Kamal Haasan called him back and said that he was ready to do the film since he did not have a lot of scenes. Kamal Haasan reportedly got paid Rs 20 crore for appearing in the film.

On June 26, a day before the film’s release, Ashwin commented on Kalki 2898 AD: Part 2 and stated that it would begin in three years.