film producer Nag Ashwin He has broken his silence on the criticism surrounding the portrayal of Karna in Kalki 2898 AD. The director responded after social media users questioned the film’s interpretation of the legendary warrior and its climax. Nag Ashwin mentioned Mahabharata and urged viewers to wait for the sequel before judging the entire story.
Social media debate begins after ‘Lenin’
Online discussions have intensified following the release of Akhil Akkineni’s Lenin. Among the many reactions to the film, a social media user praised Pramod Panju’s performance as Karna and claimed that the character should be portrayed in a similar manner in Kalki 2898. The same post also criticized Nag Ashwin’s interpretation of Khanna and raised questions about the film’s climax. As the debate progressed, Nag Ashwin chose to respond directly.
Director quotes Mahabharata
Responding to the criticism, Nag Ashwin shared an excerpt from the English translation of Bibek Debroy’s Mahabharata. He referred to a passage from the Drona Vadha Parva. When Lord Krishna talks about Karna in that scripture, he talks about Arjuna. The filmmaker defended his explanation, saying, “These are the words of Sri Krishna to Arjuna in Drona Vada Parva. Please read the Mahabharata. I recommend the Bibek Debroy version. Or Google how many times Krishna praised Karna to Arjuna. I have the utmost respect for our history. I know what I am doing in the second part.”
“Waiting for part two”
Apart from defending the film, Nag Ashwin’s response also included a few teases about the sequel. Although the director did not reveal any plot details, his last sentence of “wait for the second part” made the sequel even more hyped.
Kalki 2 is currently in production
The production of Kalki 2 is underway in Hyderabad. The sequel continues the story introduced in Kalki 2898 AD and is expected to focus more on the journey of Ashwatthama and Karna. The first film starred Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Kamal Haasan and Disha Patani. According to reports, Kalki 2 is targeting a December 2027 release and expectations are high.
