Filmmaker Nag Ashwin has responded to the ongoing criticism surrounding the portrayal of Karna in Kalki 2898 AD, defending the film’s Mahabharata-inspired climax by citing a passage from the epic itself. As work on the sequel continues, the director urged critics to read the Mahabharata before questioning his interpretation, adding that audiences should “wait for Part 2”.
Nag Ashwin defends Kalki 2898 AD climax
The debate resurfaced after the release of Akhil Akkineni’s Lenin. Comparing actor Pramod Panju’s portrayal of Karna in Lenin with that in Kalki 2898 AD, an X (formerly Twitter) user criticised Nag Ashwin’s film for ‘glorifying’ Karna and described its climax as “blasphemy”. The post read, “After reading the comments and quotes, one thing became very clear to me… Kalki’s climax was blasphemy to Hindus and Krishna bhakts, and I will call it out.”
Responding to the criticism, Nag Ashwin shared a page from Bibek Debroy’s translation of the Mahabharata, highlighting a passage from the Drona Vadha Parva in which Lord Krishna praises Karna while speaking to Arjuna. Defending his interpretation of Karna in Kalki 2898 AD, the filmmaker wrote, “These are Sree Krishna’s own words to Arjuna in the Drona Vadha Parva. Please read the Mahabharata. I suggest the Bibek Debroy version. Or Google how many times Krishna praised Karna to Arjuna. I have the greatest respect for our history. I know what I’m doing. Wait for Part 2 (sic).”
In Kalki 2898 AD, Prabhas portrays Karna and is presented as a heroic figure during the film’s climax. Following the film’s release, some viewers criticised the depiction, accusing the makers of glorifying Karna while overlooking his controversial actions in the Mahabharata. Others, however, defended the film’s interpretation, pointing to multiple references in the epic where Karna is praised for his courage, generosity and warrior skills.
Update on the Kalki 2898 AD sequel
The sequel to Kalki 2898 AD is currently in development. Last year, production house Vyjayanthi Movies announced that Deepika Padukone would not be returning for the second instalment. Reports later claimed the decision stemmed from disagreements over her remuneration and working conditions. Deepika played SUM-80, a pregnant woman hunted by Prabhas’ bounty hunter Bhairava and protected by Amitabh Bachchan’s Ashwatthama. Although no replacement has been officially announced, reports suggest that Sai Pallavi has been approached for the role.
The sequel will see Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan reprise their respective roles. Released in 2024, Kalki 2898 AD grossed over ₹1,000 crore worldwide, emerging as one of the year’s biggest blockbusters. Expectations for the sequel remain high, with Nag Ashwin previously revealing that the next chapter will focus more on the characters played by Prabhas and Kamal Haasan, while expanding the film’s mythological and sci-fi universe.