Kalki 2898 AD
Behind the Magic: How We Executed VFX for Kalki
By HaloHues Studios
When Kalki 2898 AD hit the big screens, audiences were mesmerized by its visually stunning world. What most people don’t realize is that our VFX studio joined this journey at a surprisingly late stage—and with one of the tightest deadlines we've ever faced.
Our involvement in Kalki came during the final stretch of the film’s post-production. With just 40 days left before release, Vyjayanthi Movies approached us to contribute to the film's visual effects. Despite the limited timeframe, we were thrilled to collaborate on such a prestigious project.
But this wasn’t a simple plug-and-play VFX job. We were responsible for 40 full shots, all of which required asset creation from the ground up.
Working Smart with Great References
What made this monumental task achievable was the excellent reference material and concept art shared by the production team. These visual guides gave us clarity early on, helping us understand the look, tone, and scale of the environments we were building.
That head start meant our artists weren’t guessing—they were executing with purpose. But even with this guidance, another challenge quickly emerged.
Seamless Integration with Other Studios
Our shots didn’t exist in isolation. They had to flow naturally with sequences handled by other VFX studios—shots that came immediately before and after ours. So while we had the creative vision for our scenes, we had to match the look, feel, and cinematic language of the rest of the film.
This required meticulous attention to detail, not just in the visuals but in lighting style, color grading, and motion continuity. It was like joining a relay race mid-stride—and making sure the baton passed without a hitch.
Teamwork at the Core
One of the standout aspects of this project was the incredible support from the assistant directors. Their timely feedback and deep understanding of the film’s world helped us move quickly, align on direction, and iterate efficiently.
Their clarity and collaboration made a huge difference in helping us stay focused and deliver high-quality work within a very narrow window.
Looking Back
Working on Kalki was both challenging and deeply rewarding. It reminded us that even under intense timelines, great things are possible when there's clear vision, open communication, and mutual respect across teams.
We’re grateful to have contributed to a film that pushed visual storytelling forward—and proud of what our team was able to accomplish in just 40 days.