MUMBAI — Nag Ashwin's ambitious pan-India sci-fi epic 'Kalki 2.0' became the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025 on Wednesday, crossing the ₹1,000 crore mark at the domestic box office in just 21 days of release — making it only the seventh Indian film ever to achieve this milestone.
A Cinematic Phenomenon
The film, which imagines a post-apocalyptic India through the lens of Vedic mythology, has been praised by critics for its visual grandeur, its seamless fusion of regional Indian cinematic traditions, and performances that transcend language barriers. Lead actor Prabhas — making his second appearance in the Kalki universe — received particular acclaim for a physically and emotionally demanding performance.
The film's opening weekend collections of ₹429 crore globally set a new record for Indian cinema, surpassing the previous record held by 'RRR'. Collections have been remarkably consistent across all four major language versions — Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada — pointing to its genuine pan-India appeal.
International Recognition
Beyond box office numbers, 'Kalki 2.0' has been selected as India's official entry for the Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category, and is the first Indian film to have a dedicated 4DX release in 25 countries simultaneously.