Kalki 2898 AD director Nag Ashwin’s latest comments have once again sparked debate over the film’s portrayal of Karna and Arjuna. The Prabhas-starrer became a massive success worldwide, but its climax also faced criticism over the way certain Mahabharata characters were presented.
Lyricist Anantha Sriram has repeatedly criticised the climax of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. He argued that filmmakers can use cinematic elevations, but should not change key events or facts mentioned in the epics. He also questioned the film’s portrayal of Karna as a greater warrior than Arjuna.
Kalki 2898 AD Debate Gets a Fresh Twist
The controversy resurfaced after some social media users praised Karna’s portrayal in ‘Lenin’ and targeted Nag Ashwin. Responding strongly, the director referred to the Mahabharata and said Lord Krishna himself had spoken about Karna’s greatness while addressing Arjuna.
Nag Ashwin suggested reading Bibek Debroy’s Mahabharata and reportedly shared a page from the book to support his argument. He also said he has immense respect for Indian history, knows what he is doing, and asked audiences to wait for ‘Kalki Part 2’.
Although Nag Ashwin did not directly mention Anantha Sriram, his comments are now being linked to the lyricist’s earlier criticism. With the Kalki 2898 AD debate back in the spotlight, it remains to be seen whether Anantha Sriram will respond to the director’s latest remarks.
