Kalki 2898 AD director Nag Ashwin has spoken out about the film’s double win at the 72nd National Film Awards, saying the recognition for its production design felt especially deserved. The 2024 sci-fi film, starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Kamal Haasan, took home two honours at the ceremony held on September 22, 2026 at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia, Gujarat.
The film won Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, while Nitin Zihani was honoured with the award for Best Production Design. For Ashwin, this marks his second National Award after his earlier win for the 2018 biographical drama Mahanati.
A Win That Felt Personal for the Director
Ashwin, who directed and co-wrote Kalki 2898 AD, shared his thoughts on the win in an exclusive chat. He said awards were not something he actively chased while making films, but this one felt different.
“Usually during making films, I don’t think of what awards it will get but for Kalki, I always felt that it should get in production design. We were doing some extremely impossible things and I’m very happy that it got that recognition”
The director also spoke about how the team reacted to the news. The cast and crew were in different places when the awards were announced, yet the feeling was shared.
“We were all in different places but overall I think we all felt an immense gratitude and joy for the recognition”
Ashwin was quick to credit the film’s star-studded cast for raising the bar during production. He explained that working with such experienced performers pushed him to stay sharp and make sure every scene lived up to their talent.
“Rather than overpower the story, I feel it helped me be sharper on my feet and make sure that the story or the scenes really were up to the mark, to justify the great actors who were playing these roles”
The Hardest Scenes to Pull Off
Looking back at the making of Kalki 2898 AD, Ashwin pointed to two sequences that were especially demanding. The climax featuring Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan) fighting Bhairava (Prabhas) inside Bujji, the three-wheeled AI car, required careful planning. The portions set during the Mahabharata era were equally challenging.
“It was really a complicated sequence because the action had proper story beats and had to keep improving. And also the Mahabharata sequences”
The 40-year-old filmmaker noted that the film’s blend of Indian mythology with futuristic world-building was a big part of what made the production design so complex. Creating a believable world that mixed ancient texts with sci-fi elements was no small task, and the National Award for Nitin Zihani acknowledged that effort.
What the Awards Mean for Indian Cinema
Ashwin said the response to films across different scales has been encouraging. He feels that stories, whether small and intimate or larger than life, are now finding their own steady audiences.
“It’s very exciting as stories now, whether they are small and intimate or larger than life, have somehow seemed to have found their own stable audience and I’m really hoping that this trend continues”
He also acknowledged that Kalki 2898 AD has inspired more filmmakers to explore the sci-fi genre. That comes with its own set of challenges for him, as he will now have to reassess some of the ideas he first developed years ago.
“Kalki has inspired many more to follow this genre… what was original seven years ago while writing it, I’ll have to assess and reimagine sometimes”
The Sequel Is Moving Forward
With the box office success of the first film and now the National Award recognition, Ashwin said the focus for Kalki 2898 AD – Part 2 will stay on the story rather than outside expectations.
“After the box office success and now the award recognition, what we will strive to do is to still be honest to the story. And make a film that can stand the test of time”
He added that the stories directors truly want to tell come from within, not from a need to make the next project or follow a trend.
“I feel the stories that directors want to tell… from inside… not because they need to make their next film or are trying to write something according to the trend. The want to make something should be blind and relentless. I feel only those work, at any point of time”
Regular shooting for Kalki 2898 AD – Part 2 is set to begin in October 2026, with the team hoping to wrap filming by mid-2027. A brief 10-day shoot has already been completed, with further filming waiting on Prabhas‘s availability.
The first film, released theatrically on June 27, 2024, was produced by Vyjayanthi Movies. It featured an ensemble cast including Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone, Shobana and Disha Patani.
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A Big Night for Telugu Cinema
The 72nd National Film Awards ceremony was held outside New Delhi for the first time, taking place at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, near the Statue of Unity. President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards. Telugu cinema had a strong showing overall, with Kalki 2898 AD, Committee Kurrollu and Pushpa 2: The Rule each winning two awards.
Director Nag Ashwin, producers Swapna Dutt and Ashwini Dutt, and other team members attended the ceremony in Gujarat. The production house Vyjayanthi Movies shared a statement on social media celebrating the double win.
“A DREAM. A JOURNEY. A celebration of CINEMA. Team #Kalki2898AD is immensely honoured to receive the 72nd National Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment”
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The production house also thanked the jury for recognising the film’s journey and congratulated Nitin Zihani for his work on the film’s production design.
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