The highly-anticipated Kalki 2898 AD pre-release event was held in Mumbai tonight. The film’s entire cast and crew, including Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, director Nag Ashwin, and others, graced this much-awaited promotional event. Tollywood actor Rana Daggubati donned the role of an anchor for a brief time at the event.

When the mom-to-be Deepika went on the dais to speak, proudly flashing her baby bump, Rana jokingly told her, “You are still in the character,” referring to Deepika’s pregnant character in Kalki 2898 AD. Being the spontaneous sport that she has always been, Deepika replied, saying, “The movie went on for about three years, and I was like, why not for a few more months?”

Talking about Kalki, Deepika said, “It’s been an incredible and big learning experience. Like Mr. Amitabh said, it’s a completely new world. We went through different phases of discovering what this movie was about. But the magic in Nagi’s (Nag Ashwin) head is now here, finally, for everyone to see. We, as actors, have discovered that along the way. It’s been an incredible experience at both personal and professional levels.

Also starring Bollywood actress Disha Patani in a key role, Kalki 2898 AD is scheduled for its world theatrical release on June 27. Veteran filmmaker Ashwini Dutt has bankrolled this mammoth project. Acclaimed Tamil music director Santhosh Narayanan has composed the music.