Arshad Warsi should have been more careful with words: Kalki director

THE CONTROVERSY over Arshad Warsi's remarks regarding Prabhas' portrayal in "Kalki 2898 AD" has sparked discussions across the film industry.

Director Nag Ashwin addressed the issue on Saturday, acknowledging that Warsi should have been more careful with his words, though he downplayed the incident by saying, "it's ok."

Arshad's comments, made during an interview, described Prabhas' character Bhairava in a way that upset many of the actor’s fans.

However, Ashwin urged the public not to let these remarks cause further division between the north and south film industries. In a post on X, Ashwin emphasized the importance of unity within the Indian film industry, stating, "Let's not go backwards... no more north-south or bolly vs tolly... United Indian Film Industry."

Ashwin also expressed his commitment to improving the sequel, hoping that it will reinforce Prabhas' performance. "Too much hate in the world already, bro... we can try not to add to it. I know Prabhas garu will also feel the same," he added.

Arshad, speaking in an interaction with Samdish, had expressed disappointment in Prabhas' portrayal, stating, "Prabhas, I am really sad, why was he... he was like a joker. Why? I want to see a Mad Max."

"Kalki 2898 AD" features prominent actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Kamal Haasan. The film is now available on streaming platforms.