Did ‘Kalki’ Fail to Impress Japanese Audiences?

Recently, Indian films have been receiving tremendous appreciation in countries like Japan and China. The success of RRR is a prime example, having run for over a year in theaters, consistently showing “housefull” signs. However, not all films are guaranteed to achieve similar success. A clear example of this is Kalki 2898 AD.

Released on January 3, 2025, in Japan on a large scale, the film initially showed promise but failed to maintain momentum. Although Prabhas couldn’t attend the premiere, director Nag Ashwin attended as a special guest to promote the film. The team was optimistic, considering Kalki is a fantasy fiction film, believing it would captivate Japanese audiences. Unfortunately, the film did not gain the expected traction.

On its opening day, Kalki 2898 AD earned 8.5 million yen (around ₹45 lakh), but the excitement soon waned. Within the first week, the film’s earnings stagnated between 1 to 2 crore yen, forcing it to wrap up its theatrical run much sooner than anticipated, according to trade sources.

Several factors contributed to this outcome. The characters of Ashwatthama, Karna, and Lord Krishna in Kalki are deeply rooted in Indian mythology, which might not have resonated with Japanese viewers in the same way it does with Indian audiences. The complex relationships between these mythological characters were difficult for the audience to fully grasp, making it hard for them to connect with the film on a deeper level.

Despite Kalki 2898 AD crossing ₹1000 crore worldwide, its failure to make a significant impact in Japan was a setback. Had it done better there, it could have rewritten records. However, there are plans to kick off the second part of the film (Kalki 2) in June 2025, as revealed recently by producer Ashwini Dutt. Leaked reports suggest that, similar to Baahubali and KGF, the second installment will delve deeper into the core story, with major plot developments expected. Kamal Haasan, who had a limited presence in the first part, is set to play a full-fledged villain in Kalki 2. Additionally, there are rumors of another big star joining the cast, potentially to play Kalki himself, following Prabhas’ role as Karna.

However, indications suggest that the release date for Kalki 2 may be pushed beyond 2027.