Arshad Warsi recently drew attention with his comments about Prabhas on a podcast. He revealed that he watched Kalki 2898 A.D. but was not impressed. However, his criticism of Prabhas’ performance, referring to him as a “joker”, became a topic of discussion, especially on social media. In response, South star Nani commented that Warsi’s comments appeared to be an attempt to gain publicity and that the issue was being blown out of proportion. Nani has since expressed disappointment, saying that his words were taken out of context and that it hurt him as well.
In an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, Nani addressed the North-South debate and the recent comments made by Prabhas and Arshad Warsi. He termed the controversy as trivial, saying that such issues often start from a small trigger, grow on social media and then disappear just as quickly. Nani emphasised that the North-South divide is not reflected in the actual audience, who appreciate both Hindi and South Indian films. He compared the debate to a game for social media users, which flares up for a while before being forgotten.
When asked if he felt his and Arshad’s statements were taken out of context and if it hurt him, Nani admitted that he was definitely hurt when people misunderstood or reacted negatively. However, he said that nothing can be done about it. Nani explained that context is often lost in interviews, as only select quotes are highlighted. He expressed disappointment at how social media users jump to conclusions without knowing the full context. Nani suggested that if the mainstream media stops focusing on such issues, it would solve a large part of the problem.
For those who are not familiar with the situation, Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi has created a stir with his comments about Prabhas’ performance in Kalki 2898 AD. While appearing on a chat show hosted by Samdish Bhatia, Warsi was asked about the films he has watched and disliked. In response, he mentioned Nag Ashwin’s sci-fi film Kalki 2898 AD.
Arshad Warsi praised Amitabh Bachchan for his portrayal of Ashwatthama, but was disappointed with Prabhas’ performance. Warsi questioned why Prabhas looked like a joker in his role, wishing to see a performance like Mel Gibson’s character in Mad Max. He admitted that he had trouble understanding why Prabhas’ character was presented in this way.
In another interview with Midday, Nani explained that his comments about the incident were blown out of proportion and the true meaning was lost in translation. He mentioned that he initially reacted to the clip circulating on social media in the same way as his own comments that were widely shared a day earlier.
Nani said that when someone you care about is involved, you can react sharply and question why such a trivial issue is being given so much importance. After seeing various reactions online, he re-read the entire material and found that the media and social media have blown the situation out of proportion.
Nani also admitted that his choice of words while reacting to the issue was not ideal and believed that it is important to admit one’s mistakes. He acknowledged that Arshad Warsi has the right to his opinion, but Nani felt that the language used could have been more considerate.
Kalki 2898 AD also stars Deepika Padukone, Disha Patani, Kamal Haasan. This science-fiction film is directed by Nag Ashwin.
Also read: Poonam Dhillon seeks clarification from Arshad Warsi over ‘Joker’ comment about Prabhas; says he should ‘get over the grief…’
