Nag Ashwin , the director of the highly anticipated film Kalki 2898 AD , has finally addressed the controversy surrounding Arshad Warsi 's recent comments about Prabhas. Warsi's remarks, in which he likened Prabhas ' appearance in the film to that of a "joker," have sparked significant backlash, particularly among Prabhas' fans. Instead of fanning the flames, Ashwin decided to diffuse the situation with a playful twist.
Nag Ashwin's Response: Focusing on Unity Taking to social media, Nag Ashwin responded to the growing controversy by urging fans and industry professionals alike to avoid the divisive rhetoric of "north versus south" or "Bollywood versus Tollywood ." Instead, he emphasised the importance of seeing the bigger picture and uniting as an Indian film industry. Ashwin acknowledged that Warsi's choice of words could have been better, but he chose to downplay the incident, stating that it's all part of the industry's ups and downs.
He even added a touch of humor by mentioning that he would send "Buji toys" for Warsi's kids. "Let's not go backwards..
. no more north-south or bolly vs tolly (Bollywood vs Tollywood)..
. eyes on the bigger picture..
. united Indian film industry..
. Arshad saab (sir) should have chosen his words better..
. but it's ok..
. sending Buji toys for his kids..
. I will work hard so tweets..
. that Prabhas was the best ever in K2 (flexed biceps emoji)." Bujji is a humanoid, AI-powered, futuristic robo-car, serving as both the best friend and sidekick to Prabhas’ character.
It is voiced by actress Keerthy Suresh. — Varun__Tweets (@Varun__Tweets) ET Online Naga Ashwin comments on fan's post Arshad Warsi's Original Comment The controversy began when Arshad Warsi, during an appearance on the Unfiltered by Samdish podcast, expressed disappointment over Prabhas' portrayal in Kalki 2898 AD . He remarked that while Amitabh Bachchan's performance was "unbelievable," Prabhas, in his opinion, was made to look like a "joker.
" Warsi compared the film's aesthetic to that of Mad Max and questioned why Prabhas was styled in such a way. His comments quickly went viral, leading to widespread criticism from fans and industry colleagues alike. Backlash and Industry Reactions Warsi's comments did not sit well with Prabhas' fanbase or several Tollywood celebrities.
Vishnu Manchu, the president of MAA (Movie Artists Association), even wrote a letter to Poonam Dhillon, the president of CINETAA (Cine and TV Artistes Association), condemning Warsi's remarks. Additionally, actors like Nani and Sudheer Babu, along with director Ajay Bhupathi, expressed their displeasure with Warsi's statements. Kalki 2898 AD continues to make waves at the box office, having crossed the Rs 1,000 crore milestone globally.
With its release on streaming platforms like Netflix and Prime Video, the film continues to reach a broader audience, further cementing its place in cinematic history..
