Arshad finally clarifies his 'joker' remark on Prabhas's 'Kalki' role
What's the story
Actor Arshad Warsi has finally cleared the air about his "joker" comment regarding Prabhas's role in Kalki 2898 AD.
In August, his remarks sparked a raging controversy, drawing significant backlash from fans and industry insiders.
At the IIFA Awards 2024 green carpet on Saturday, Warsi explained himself, saying he was criticizing the character, not Prabhas.
Clarification
'I spoke about the character, not the person'
Warsi said, "Everybody has their own point of view and people like to interpret noise. I spoke about the character, not the person."
"He (Prabhas) is a brilliant actor and he has proved himself again and again, and we know about it. And when we give a bad character to a good actor, it's heartbreaking for the audience."
Initial remarks
'What have you made of it?'
To recall, Warsi took a dig at Prabhas's role in Kalki 2898 AD during a podcast with Samdish Bhatia.
He shared his disappointment over Prabhas's portrayal in the film, stating, "Prabhas, I am really sad...he was like a joker. Why?"
He continued, "I want to see a Mad Max. I want to see Mel Gibson over there. Tumne usko kya bana dia yaar (What have you made of it?)."
Industry reaction
'Arshad saab should have chosen his words better'
Warsi's comments sparked a wave of criticism from the Telugu film industry. Actors Nani and Sudheer Babu, along with director Ajay Bhupathi, were among those who publicly expressed their disapproval.
Director Nag Ashwin also responded on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Arshad saab (sir) should have chosen his words better...but it's ok...sending Buji toys for his kids...I will work hard [on the sequel] so he tweets...that Prabhas was the best ever in K2."