Kalki (2019 Telugu film)


Kalki is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language action thriller film directed by Prashanth Varma. The film stars Rajasekhar, Adah Sharma, Nandita Swetha, Rahul Ramakrishna, and Pujita Ponnada in the lead roles.

Plot

This plot begins at the times of 1983 in Kollapur at United Andhra Pradesh. The story begins with a conversation regarding Kollapur rajmahal between a localite of Kollapur and Deva Dutta a reporter. At the time of Razakar movement entire Telangana were revolting against Nizam,Razakars,and Patwaris except in Kollapur sansthan. Because of the zamidar of that sansthan he is a good ruler. But the greedy treasurer Narsappa who dreamed to take control over the sansthan gets a good ties with Nizam and invites Razakars to the sansthan for occupy it and later kills the zamidar. After Operation Polo the wife of Zamidar take over the control of sansthan and merged with Indian government. Later in the general elections Zamindar's wife won as MLA to the Kollapur. But Narsappa avenges on her and he makes a rift between her and her trusted aid Rajappa's son Perumallu, a spoilt brat. Finally it leads perumallu to burns the house then Zamindar's wife and her son who is a small kid burned on the fire. Rajappa regrets not being able to save anyone in zamindar family. Later with the support of Perumallu, Narsappa became an MLA and makes a living hell to the people. Later at present Narsappa and Perumallu got differences then Perumallu joined in a new party which has formed in the state to defeat Narsappa.
While in the conversation a fire accident took place in the area there Deva Dutta finds out the murder of Sekhar Babu who is brother of Narsappa. He is an educated youth who helps people of Kollapur, unlike his brother.
Then Narsappa believes his brother has been killed by Perumallu and begins a search of him. Feared Perumallu left his place and went to the underground.
To investigate this case police department has appointed Kalki IPS to find the culprits. Then Deva Dutta helps Kalki regarding the case they started investigation in the dimension of rivalry but they couldn't find the whereabouts of Perumallu. Then they came to know an incident that murder attempt has done on Sekhar Babu earlier through a poisoned arrow. Then Kalki finds out that poison which is very rare and dangerous then he finds out the place called Nagulakona where the poison has been made but it was already destroyed by a conflagration. After observing the place Kalki understands that it's a man made conflagration. Meanwhile, Narsappa abducts a tribal girl called Paala Pitta to rape her but she tactically making reasons to stop him escapes temporarily and became a maid in his home. Later Narsappa thinks Kalki is challenging his power and gives a warning to him later he throws petrol bombs on them while in the treatment Dutta observes there is a distance between Kalki and Dr.Padma who is the head doctor of the govt hospital.
Later Kalki tells Dutta about their past relationship. In Kulumanali when he used to work in CRPF they had met in a different situation. Later they become friends it turns into love when their love is about to tell Padma's father Kalki has transferred to Vikarabad to solve Naxals problem. Then in an operation, he kills a govt school teacher who is a Naxalite sympathizer gives shelter to Naxalites. Then he turns out to be Padma's father then Padma misunderstands him and broke up with him.
After that Dutta supports him and continues their investigation. Dutta finds out that Sekhar Babu has a friend called Asima Khan who villagers think they are in the relationship he came to know that when Sekhar Babu had died the same day she had shifted to the other place along with her father. Then Kalki and Dutta meet her father Kabir Khan who is an Advocate. There he shares the relation between Sekhar Babu, i.e., Asima wants to start a boat business from Kollapur to Srisailam who has an intention to give employment for the villagers but the Muslim community people didn't accept her proposal because of their religious customs. But Sekhar Babu supports her and gives a positive stand to her on every step and starts her business which gets angry to the Muslim community people. Then their first trip all her boards which have sickened suspiciously in the Krishna river. Thinking that Muslim community people are behind this act Kabir became silent and decided to shift the place it is a coincidence that the same day he has shifted when the Sekhar Babu's death.
Later after hearing this information through one of Kabir's servant Narsappa became angry and tries to kill Asima then Kalki came into the rescue of her and suspects Narsappa because Sekhar Babu is his stepbrother. Kalki made an allegation that Narsappa killed his brother because of jealousy which Sekhar Babu earned the goodwill on the people. Then Narsappa backs off without any reply. Later Kalki tells Dutta that he lied to stop him because to save Asima from him. Meanwhile, Padma watches Kalki and Asima are getting close and feels jealous of her.
Asima tells Kalki that boats which have been sunk willingly and created a lot of human loss. She knows the eyewitness about that incident who is a Lord Hanuman devotee called Sambasivudu was not cooperated with her to tell truth in the court. She suggests to meet him he may help them to his investigation. Then Kalki and Dutta meet him. Sambasivudu approves what Asima said but refuses to come to the court because he only helps him but not do fight for him and encourages Kalki to investigate further.
Then Dutta comes back to his cottage their he observes the hotel receptionist acting suspicious then he and Kalki follows him to the Sansthan's Bangalow which was abandoned after that fire accident which Perumallu has done. All believes that queen's ghost roams around the rajmahal their both finds out that a man was a wine shop owner who hides his identity on fearing of Narsappa because before Sekhar Babu's death he meets him with his friends and gives his diamond watch to him and bought the entire stock. After some time fire accident has took place in the area Sekhar Babu has died then feared for his life the wine shop owner hided in the rajmahal with the help of the hotel receptionist.
Then Suddenly Kalki observes the portraits in rajmahal their he recognizes Sambasivudu as a trusted servant of the sansthan. Then both chases him and finds out the hideout of Perumallu and catches them red handed. Then Sambasivudu confesses that he failed as a servant so he devastated the life started living like a saint. But he didn't leave his loyalty to the sansthan that's why he hides wounded Perumallu. Then Kalki, however, convinces them to come with them. In the forest suddenly some skeleton masked people attack them Kalki successfully defeats all of them in the chaos Sambasivudu dies before his death he confessed that he fears for karma, not for punishment then Kalki arrests all the goons then in govt hospital Padma treats the criminals who are familiar faces in the village including the servant in Kabir Khan's home. Then one of the goon put a knife on padma's neck and tries to escape. But Kalki saves Padma tactically killing him. Then Padma realized that her father's death situation which has made but not intentional.
Later at the same night a person which tries to kill Perumallu but Kalki caught him and understands that he belongs to Nagulakona, he avenges on Perumallu and Narsappa for his people's death because they made the conflagration and killed all of his people. That's why he tries to eliminate Narsappa along with his family so he tried to kill Shekhar Babu in a village function which is unsuccessful. Then in the next day morning, Perumallu was escaped from the hospital.
Then in the department meeting, Kalki submits his report and tells about his investigation. He observes that Sekhar Babu's murder has done because of sandalwood smuggling when he observes in Nagulakona there he notices chopped sandalwood. Then he understands that Narsappa and Perumallu killed Nagulakona people through fire and covers up it as a conflagration because they are the only obstacle to them for their business. Later the same gang sunk the boats of Asima because if the population flow increases there will be no privacy for the smuggling. Then Kalki takes orders to arrest Narsappa and successfully arrests at his home with the help of Paala pitta who turns out to be Kalki's agent and an undercover cop.
Then on the way, Perumallu attacks Narasappa and kills him then in a shootout Kalki kills Perumallu. Then finally the department closes the Sekhar Babu's death case during lack of suspects and finally, Dutta gots his promotion and fame for covering the entire incident.
Later in the hospital, Asima meets Kalki along with Dutta while they are talking, Padma sees them and tries to avoid the injured Kalki again. Then Asima stops her and tells a secret which she had never spoken. After the Sinking of her boats she came to know through Sambasivudu that a gang is behind this act so she met Sekhar Babu privately at the wine shop which is exactly located in the abandoned Lord Narasimha Swami temple to tell about the situation. After knowing the facts Sekhar Babu pressurise her to tell the witness's name but she doesn't want to reveal and then Sekhar Babu reveals his real face and tells her that he is the one who is behind that act and he is the kingpin of the sandalwood smuggling who killed Nagulakona people along with his brother and Perumallu. He sunk her boats because to fear other people to stop thinking to make boat business that's why he used her as a pawn to create fear among other people. His aim is to get good name in the people unlike Narsappa and stand for election in the near future to get overpowered. That's why he acts like a gentleman in the village then he orders his men to rape and kill Asima brutally and announces that he will use her death as a communal riot and then he makes this as an advantage to starts his political career.
Meanwhile after breaking up with Padma depressed Kalki came to the same wine shop and looking the situation he came into the rescue of Asima and he hangs Sekhar Babu and his men upside down. Sekhar Babu’s lighter falls out from his pocket and starts a fire which feeds the alcohol on the ground that they poured earlier to try to kill Asima. After revealing the secret Asima tells Padma that Kalki is god gifted brother to her like Lord Krishna to Droupadi. Then Padma and Kalki reconciles all conversation had heard by Deva Dutta then he decided to tell the police about this facts but later he notices that police also involved in this issue, in fact, they send Kalki to kill Narsappa and Perumallu which creates havoc in the Kollapur and Kalki helped Perumallu to escape for taking shot on both of them. Later Kalki's mother came to see him then Dutta recognizes her as the wife of zamindar then he understands that when Perumallu puts on fire to the rajmahal she has managed to escape along with her son. Now Kalki unknowingly took vengeance on his father's death by killing Perumallu and Narsappa. Then he remembers Sambasivudu words before his death that "everyone should pay off for their deeds in the same life". Like that all the people had paid their life for their misdeeds then Deva Dutta compares Kalki's actions with Lord Vishnu's Dashavatara. Finally, the film ends with Kalki discharges from the hospital and goes to his home along with his mother, Deva Dutta, and Padma.

Cast

After the success of Awe, Dr. Rajasekhar expressed interest to act under the direction of Prasanth Verma. Prasanth decided to do a commercial film as his second venture because he does not want to be typecast. The original story with twists was written like a web-series which Prasanth had to adapt the screenplay into a movie format which took eight months to finish that process.

Soundtrack

Release

The film released to mixed reviews. The Times of India gave the film three out of five stars and stated that the film is "worth a watch" and although "the film isn’t as suspenseful as they come, it still keeps things entertaining till the end". Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote "There’s an element of surprise towards the end, but the journey towards it is tedious". Hemanth Kumar of Firstpost wrote "Although Kalki finds its mojo in bits and pieces, it tries hard to whip up emotion where there’s none, and ends up as a big bore". 123Telugu wrote "On the whole, Kalki is an investigative thriller which clicks in the second half. There is nothing special or exciting about this film as the twists are revealed in an interesting manner in the last twenty minutes only".