First-look video of Prabhas returning to ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ sequel out

As Prabhas celebrated his 47th birthday on October 23, director Nag Ashwin, his partner from the 2024 sci-fi blockbuster Kalki 2898 AD, marked the occasion by releasing a special teaser revealing Prabhas’s return as the bounty hunter Bhairava.

The team of Kalki 2898 AD posted a video to commemorate the actor, captioning it, “To the superhero of Indian Cinema…Happy Birthday to the Darling of every generation, Rebel Star #Prabhas. We are excited to embark on another epic cinematic journey with you…#Kalki2898AD.”

The 32-second clip captures the crew setting up a blue-screen stage for Bhairava's comeback. As the on-screen text declares “Bhairava is back,” Prabhas walks onto the meticulously crafted set clad in his signature armour. He then climbs into his vehicle, Bujji, before director Nag Ashwin calls “action.”

While the promotional video keeps Prabhas’s full appearance under wraps — depicting him primarily in silhouette atop an elevated structure — subsequent frames offer a closer glimpse. Accompanied by the on-screen message “Happy Birthday Bhairava,” the footage showcases the actor sporting long hair and a beard as he seamlessly steps back into the bounty hunter's persona.

Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan have reprised their roles as Ashwatthama and Supreme Yaskin for the Kalki 2898 AD sequel, while Deepika Padukone — who starred as the pregnant test subject SUM-80 (Sumathi) in the original film — has departed the project. Although rumours previously linked Sai Pallavi and Alia Bhatt to replacement or new roles, director Nag Ashwin clarified to Variety India in September that no new characters are being introduced, though he kept Padukone’s replacement under wraps.

Set in a grim dystopian future where the Supreme Yaskin hoards dwindling resources, Kalki 2898 AD follows the utopian haven of Shambhala in its fight against oppression, driven by the prophecy of an impending saviour. The narrative centres on Ashwatthama protecting the pregnant SUM-80, whom he believes carries the divine avatar of Kalki. Culminating in a revelation that Bhairava is the reincarnation of Karna, the film sets the stage for a direct continuation in the upcoming sequel.