National award-winning director Nag Ashwin, known for his latest film Kalki 2898 AD, has responded to Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi’s critical remarks about his movie. Kalki 2898 AD, which features a star-studded cast including Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, and Deepika Padukone, achieved a significant box office milestone, grossing ₹1000 crore. Despite its commercial success, the film received mixed reactions from audiences and some industry figures.
Recently, Arshad Warsi criticized Kalki 2898 AD, describing it as a disappointing film and particularly talking about Prabhas’s role, which he compared to a “joker”. Warsi’s comments then sparked a widespread reaction, with fans of Prabhas and several Tollywood celebrities, including Sudheer Babu, Siddhu Jonnalagadda and Nani, voicing their support for the actor.
In response to the controversy, Kalki 2898 AD director Nag Ashwin has now taken to X (formerly Twitter) to address the situation. A post highlighted a climax scene from the film featuring Prabhas, commenting on it he has urged the public to avoid further division between North and South Indian cinema, emphasizing that Indian cinema is ‘United’. But Ashwin further commented, “Arshad saab should have chosen his words better… but it’s ok,” and added that he would be sending a ‘Bujji’ toy, an AI droid from the film, to the Bollywood actor’s children. He also assured that he would work hard and make Arshad feel Prabhas has done his ‘best ever’ in the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD.
In another tweet, Nag Ashwin responded to a fan who questioned why should one stay quiet when someone spreads hate. To which the filmmaker stressed that there is already too much negativity in the world already and that everyone should ‘try not to add it’, adding, “I know Prabhas garu will also feel the same.”
The debate over North vs South cinema continues, despite increasing collaborations between industries. Kalki 2898 AD delves into a dystopian world inspired by the Hindi epic Mahabharata. Released on June 27, 2024, the film has been a significant box office success, recently celebrating its 50th day in theatres. The first part of the Kalki franchise has set up the narrative for a sequel, which is expected to expand on the story.
Nag Ashwin, known for his previous works like Yevade Subramanyam and the critically acclaimed Mahanati, shared his vision for the film, saying, “When I see kids taking photos or videos with Bujji, I see that wonder. For me, that’s the main agenda of the film. I hope it helps them learn more about Mahabharata and the original heroes of our mythology.”
Also Read: Nani Feels Regretful After Criticizing Arshad Warsi For Calling Prabhas A ‘Joker’
