Kalank is a sensory delight. It’s hard to not be awed by the grandeur of the film, the lavish couture on display and the easy-on-the-eyes star cast. However, it’s also equally hard to ignore the fact that the filmmakers could have easily done so much more with the resources and premise they had at their disposal.

Set against the backdrop of one of the most contentious periods in modern Indian history, created at a time when the fervour against fake news is louder than ever before, the makers had plenty of source material to create a genuinely thought-provoking film. This is what makes the movie’s lack of self-awareness even more jarring. The entire exercise is a completely wasted opportunity.

It’s strange to find Gowariker, whose zenith was the Oscar-nominated Lagaan 15 years ago, burying himself into an faux-archaeological nadir of his own making with this tacky rendition of a bygone era. But then again, reminiscing past glories — national or personal — is a Bollywood pastime.

The nexus between politics and religion is one of the great manipulative enterprises of 21st century India, and to take the stand that Global Baba does on godmen and religious organisations in general is commendable.

But a stand is all this is. As they say, there’s many a slip between an idea and a script.

Drishyam could’ve been crisper (runtime: 163:33 minutes) and woven in a few more tricks and surprises. But it is only a lazy remake and a lot is lost in translation.