No stunt double, dubbing in 4 languages: Anna Ben on 'Kalki 2898 AD'

Actor Anna Ben has left her critics in awe with her dedication and versatility in the film ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ by Nag Ashwin. The actress, known for her roles in Malayalam cinema, took on new challenges in this multi-star film featuring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, and Deepika Padukone. 

"When Nag Ashwin approached me, I was thrilled to join a star-studded cast and be part of a fictional world," Anna Ben shared. Despite the daunting task of performing major scenes, including fight sequences, Anna embraced the challenge. "Nag Ashwin made me comfortable and encouraged me to do light workouts to ease the shoot," she said. 

Even though she knew that the stunts could be performed by doubles, seeing her excitement for the film, the crew asked if she would try doing the stunts herself. "They asked me to try it, saying it would be best if it worked out," she recalled. Under the coordination of Nick Powell, Anna performed her first stunt sequence on a sandboard, which she thoroughly enjoyed. 

To prepare for her role as Kyra, Anna maintained her physique, kept her hair long, and did light workouts. She also brushed up on her boxing skills from a previous film and received additional training. 

Anna took her dedication a step further by dubbing in four languages—Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam. "I didn't dub in Kannada because I initially told them I didn't know Kannada," she explained. "After doing the other four languages, I thought I should have dubbed in Kannada too."

A huge fan of actress Shobana, Anna eagerly awaited their meeting. "I didn’t sleep as I was waiting to meet Shobana. Although I did a scene with her, it didn't appear in the final cut," she added.

Shooting the film in Ramoji Film City, often at two locations simultaneously, added to the challenges. The crew maintained strict secrecy, with mobile phones banned on set to prevent leaks. 

Anna admitted feeling tense about delivering her lines in Telugu, as she didn't want to hold back the senior actors. Despite this, her performance has been met with admiration.

Fans have expressed a desire to see Kyra in the film's sequel. "I asked the director if Kyra would appear in the second sequence. He said nothing has been decided yet, but I am hopeful and will be happy if my character appears in the next part as well," Anna concluded.

Watch the complete interview,