Nag Ashwin, the director behind the highly successful Kalki 2898 AD has finally addressed the controversial comments made by Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi about Prabhas’s character in the film. In a recent interview, Nag Ashwin breaks silence on the criticism, which had sparked a massive backlash from Prabhas’s fans.
The comment that ignited the debate came when Arshad Warsi spoke about Prabhas’s role as Bhariava in Kalki 2898 AD. Warsi had expressed his disappointment, stating that Prabhas appeared like a “joker” in the film. This remark was met with immediate criticism from the fans of Prabhas, who rallied behind their favorite star. However, Nag Ashwin in his response took a calm approach. Speaking during the most interview with Prema – the journalist, speaking in Telugu Ashwin said, “It’s a two-face thing. I remember obviously there was this comment, Arshad Warsi thing and all of that was happening, and I was like, ‘It’s okay, whatever, it’s somebody’s opinion.’”
Nag Ashwin breaks silence by highlighting how, despite the negative comments, he remained focused on his original intention for the film. He explained that during his travels, he encountered a group of excited children who approached him to express their love for the film. “Couple of kids came running behind me saying ‘Are you Nag Ashwin?’ They were so excited, came along with their mother,” he recalled. He went on to share how the children loved Prabhas’s character and particularly appreciated the humour in the role.
“These kids were saying, ‘We just loved Bhariava (Prabhas’s role in Kalki), and he’s so funny. He said he can’t fight for these many units and slept, we were laughing,’” Ashwin added, clearly delighted by their response. For him, this was the affirmation he needed showing that the movie had worked exactly as he had intended. He continued saying, “This is what I wanted and it worked!”
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Nag Ashwin further addresses the mismatch of expectations. He explained that if Arshad Warsi was expecting a character like that in Mad Max, it wasn’t what Kalki 2898 AD was about. “If Arshad Warsi wanted Mad Max, it’s a very different character. Expecting that and watching this, it’s very different. It’s like saying ‘I want to see a movie about a queen and I’m going to see Salaam Bombay,’” Ashwin noted. He added that viewers cannot always have high expectations based on their personal preferences.
One of the main things Nag Ashwin wanted to point out was his target audience- children. He mentioned that kids are the best audience to make films for because they offer unfiltered and genuine reactions. Ashwin emphasized, “For the kids are the best audience, that was the big thing. Whatever was bothering me it just went away.” He further clarified that his aim was always to create a film that resonated with the younger generation. “I was trying to make it for myself as a kid, 10 or 12-year-old kid,” he explained.
Earlier, in a lighter moment on social media, Nag Ashwin responded to Arshad Warsi’s criticism by humorously writing, “Arshad saab (sir) should have chosen his words better… but it’s okay… sending Buji toys for his kids… I will work hard so tweets… that Prabhas was the best ever in K2.” This comment shows that Ashwin maintained his sense of humor despite the criticism.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Kalki 2898 AD follows a group of individuals trying to save a child SUM-80 in the year 2898. The movie, which has received mixed reactions, stars an ensemble cast including Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Deepika Padukone. The film has grossed over 1200 crore worldwide and continues to draw attention for its unique storyline and visual effects.
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