#kalki

[themakeupbrush]

Kalki Fashion

[mirimgalthegremlin]

okay, given that none of the 5 desi fans of lokah i have seen on tumblr have been fulfilled by the content here, might as well start off spouting theories and stuff i loved about the movie. But first, a rant:

I am SO FUCKING DONE with the same recycled Mahabharata and Ramayana tropes in the fantasy, action-adventure, sci-fi scene in the Indian movie industry. Like, I am all for a good adaptation of the epics or a work inspired by it, but all the existing stuff we have is more concerned about spectacle and generating hype for the actors rather than the story.

The above point is mostly in reference to Bhramastra and Kalki. I hated them both. Good on paper, but they lack heart. Bhramastra has been critically hated, so I am not going there. Kalki...... OMFG, where do I even start? They went too big, too fast. All the world-building is half-baked, and the content we are given in the movie seems like the first draft of the story was never improved. The editing and the acting are weird; the characters aren't fully fleshed, at all, but rather a name and a single characteristic of what they are. Nobody seems to have chemistry, and I found so many talented actors, particularly from Kerala, who are seemingly added just to hype the movie in the state rather than to be an actually important and long-lasting part of the story. Many supporting characters could have been played by talented junior actors who could have added a large movie credit to their resume, instead of the role being handed to a multi-award-winning legend who dies after 20 minutes of screentime with little to no significance.

So here, Lokah: Chapter 1 shines, because none of the characters seem insignificant. We can taste the palpable chemistry between all of them. The VFX and CGI are tastefully used and most importantly to me....... *drumrolls*, the source material has been used innovatively. Neither Neeli (in the movie adaptation at the very least) or Sunny seems to have a divine, noble or royal background that made them 'chosen'. Neeli receives her powers after a king massacres her family. She stands for the indigenous and the downtrodden. Kathanar is made to capture her, not by the Adivasis, but by the townsfolk. Here, we truly have a folk hero be a super hero and NOT be corny.

[quietumbramist]

avatar I love

Also avatar I love

[brose1229]

Happy Lunar New Year

🎊🐴Year of the horse🐴🎊

Sorry I’m late, I’ve been busy

[merevasudevmeremadhav]

ya'll he's coming and he looks even more ethereal on his white horse whoever decided the white horse and this whole fit ate frr

[h0bg0blin-meat]

Kalki

From: My Kalki retelling

[mysticalnightingale]

Stay Still

(oneshot)

Bhairava x f!reader

Summary - You come home late and injured. Bhairava is worried about you.

[Disclaimer- This is a fanfiction based on the 2024 Indian movie - Kalki 2898 AD. All the characters (except reader) belong to the makers of this movie. Also this is my first time writing a fanfic. Expect amateur writing.]

Words~ 1k

masterlist

Reader's pov -

Creaaak-

“shit”, I mutter to myself as the rusty metal door creaks as I open it. I quietly enter the house – if you can call it that, it’s basically just a metal box with a roof. At least the roof is fine. For now.

I close the door behind me.

Pale yellow light floods in as the single light bulb is turned on.

I let out a sigh and turn around as I come face to face with him.

Bhairava.

Four years ago, the rebel base in Bombay – my home, was destroyed by the complex. Some of us were compromised, some fortunate souls escaped to Shambala. Me being the unfortunate one, narrowly escaped the attacks and was forced into hiding.

After spending almost three months alone in hiding, I caught a vehicle which was enroute to Kashi. With no other choice I had to come here. I spent my initial days wandering around clueless, with no units, surviving on scraps. While I was trying to lay low, I somehow caught the attention of a local hooligan. With no energy to fight back, I was almost sold to the complex.

But then Bhairava stepped in and saved me from the goons. Ever since then I stuck by him.

He didn’t seem very pleased with me following him around, but I just didn’t have the courage to be alone after that night. It was very naïve of me to trust a complete stranger who has shown me an ounce of kindness but even an ounce in this world is rare.

He is selfish – that’s the first thing I learned about him. but he is also sarcastic and very good at fixing stuff.

As time passed by a special bond was forged between us. We became best friends. Even though he won’t admit it, I know I’m his best friend.

I eventually found a job at the 'instant cremation centre'. It doesn’t pay much sometimes pays nothing at all, but I had to do something to keep myself occupied.

The cremation centre however was almost at the city end. Bhairava was reluctant to let me go to work but after a lot of promises and convincing he gave in. On one condition – I had to be home by 6’o clock.

Which is exactly why right now he is standing with his arms crossed, glaring at me.

“Where were you?”, that’s the first thing that comes out of his mouth, his tone sharp.

“Bhairava I- ", he doesn’t let me finish.

“Do you even realize how worried I was? It’s almost 10’o clock now. I have been searching for you all evening – going around, asking people. You couldn’t send me one signal – wait, what is that?”

“What?”

“That – your hand? IS THAT BLOOD? Are you hurt”, within a couple of strides he was in front of me, taking my hand in his and inspecting my split knuckles.

“It’s nothing, I’m fine”, I tried pulling my hand away but he just tightened his grip, not too tight but firm enough.

He throws me a piercing look and I immediately discard the thought of giving a lame excuse. He drags me to a chair and makes me sit there while searching for an antiseptic cream. He comes back with the cream and a piece of gauze. He holds my hand again and starts applying a thin layer of the cream.

“I’m sorry”, I mumble quietly. He looks up, “I didn’t mean to worry you. I just ran into some trouble – a very bad brawl broke out on the way and somehow, I got caught in that shit.” I pause, “But I’m fine, I really am. Nothing happened to me”. He looked at my hand and raised his eyebrows at that, as if saying ‘really?’. “Uhm – that, I may have punched someone really hard.”

He remains silent, which is very unusual of him. He just releases a sigh of exhaustion and wraps the gauze around my knuckles. He doesn’t let go of my hand though.

“Are you mad? Say something.” I ask.

Another sigh followed by a deep breath.

“I’m not mad… I was just so worried. About you.”

“You don’t have to be so worried about me. I can handle myself pretty well.”

He looks me in the eyes, “I know you can handle yourself. But I just can’t help it. The thing is I’ve never cared about anyone like I care about you.” He pauses and looks me in the eye. I can see the moisture in his eyes, “When you didn’t come back on time, I just started imagining all the worst possible things that could happen.”

He takes a deep breath before continuing, “I had nothing. Absolutely zero. But then you happened. The reason I was cold to you initially was not because I hated you or something. I just didn’t think I was worth your time. I always thought my life was a curse, any kind of relationship with me is destined to doom. But then you gave me hope, a solid reason to live.”

He blinked his eyes rapidly, as if trying to control his tears. My heart clenched at the sight, my own eyes becoming moist. I have never seen him so vulnerable.

“Promise me… promise me that you will always be by my side.” His eyes pleading, hopeful.

“I promise.”

A smile broke-out on his face, not the cheeky grin he usually gives but a genuine smile.

He then leaned down and kissed my wrapped hand. I let out a chuckle and brought my other hand to the back of his head and pulled him closer, placing a kiss on his forehead.  

[thebaronsilver]

I've seen people bashing the Kalki movie because Karna was shown as a better warrior than Arjuna. The point of this post is not to debunk either warrior, but rather to guide your attention to this - Ashwatthama is the one who makes that claim.

Arjuna was his father's favoured student who was involved in the shameful and unlawful murder of Dronacharya.

It doesn't matter if Arjuna was better skilled or not. Ashwatthama would not openly praise those involved in his father's murder. He would debunk their might, would see the fact that they used weapons that his father taught them to wield to end his life as an insult to his revered father.

Remember, on the last night when he slaughtered the Pandava forces, he was Rudra given form. Mahadev himself took form in Ashwatthama to end the Pandava Army, to balance the scales. That is why Krishna never tried to save the rest. His goal was to wipe out all those who knew the celestial weapons and used them as and when they pleased.

Ashwatthama 's sin was when he gave into his wrath and murdered Uttara's unborn child. It shouldn't have happened and that was why Krishna stepped in.

All these years meant that Ashwatthama would genuinely have regretted and repented Parikshit's murder at his hands. The rest? Absolutely not. In his mind they were well deserved, meant to happen. Just a shame that the Pandavas themselves were spared that day. But it wasn't meant to happen so it didn't.

The truth about Karna and Arjuna is something only the gods themselves know. But the movie, I believed remained true to character by making that claim through Ashwatthama, because he would not consider Arjuna worthy of praise.

Maybe we'll eventually find out the truth in the next installment, from the mouth of someone else. Kalki, perhaps?