Nag Ashwin has responded to the actor Arshad Warsi's remarks that referred to Prabhas as a 'Joker' for his performance in the movie. The controversy began when one fan shared a clip from the film featuring Prabhas, stating that this particular scene was better than 'whole Bollywood'. In response, Ashwin not only commented on the fan's statement but also critiqued Warsi's words.
Nag Ashwin emphasized why it is important not to get stuck in such divisive dichotomies as "Bollywood vs South", urging everybody instead to take into account how unity plays out within the wider Indian cinema. Referring directly to this controversy, he stated, "arshad sahab could have chosen better words... But it's ok...I'm sending buji toys for his kids. I'll work hard so tweets on FDFS say that Prabhas was the best in K2."
Ashwin's reply came at a time of heightened tension on social media with another user accusing Arshad of spreading hate. In his response, the director stressed on reducing negativity by saying, "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."
During an interview for a podcast, Warsi commented negatively about Kalkki 2898 AD. While praising Amitabh Bachchan's portrayal of Ashwatthama's character, he criticized Prabhass' acting saying; 'Prabhas am really sad yaar why was like he..he was like joker. Why? I want Mad Max yaar. I want Mel Gibson over there.Tune usko kya banadia yaar'.
His comment instantly became viral and drew backlash from fans and other celebrities who called out Warsi for being too harsh in his words. Nevertheless, to diffuse the situation, Ashwin's reply aimed at promoting unity while putting more emphasis on the movie's objectives instead of engaging in a word tussle.
