Nag Ashwin’s Telugu-language mythological sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD is like many modern South Indian blockbusters, in that it draws roars of approval from crowds in theaters for major cameos. That might not sound too different from your average Marvel movie, but while Hollywood’s cameos usually depend on familiar characters showing up from other films, the cheers for “special appearances” during hits in languages like Tamil and Telugu are usually for famous stars and known faces slotted into minor roles. Kalki features these appearances in spades.
Actor, playback singer, and all-around heartthrob Dulquer Salmaan plays a roguish warrior in a key flashback. Comedic actor Brahmanandam — known for having appeared in over a thousand films — shows up as a snarky landlord. Even renowned Telugu and Hindi filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma fills in as a mouthy street-food vendor.
But he isn’t even the biggest Indian director with a speaking role. That distinction belongs to RRR director and star S.S.
Rajamouli in a brief cameo as a bounty hunter who appears mid–chase scene to bicker with the movie’s lead anti-hero, Bhairava, played by action star Prabhas. MCU cameos usually hint at a shared continuity, but special appearances in Indian blockbusters are all about shared real-world history. They tend to acknowledge the connective tissue between various actors and directors, and their career-long relationships.
Last year’s Bollywood action movies Pathaan and Tiger 3 , star veh.
