Nani regrets taking a dig at Arshad Warsi for remarks on Prabhas’ role in Kalki 2898 AD, ‘My words were misinterpreted...'

The internet has been abuzz with heated discussions regarding Arshad Warsi’s comments on Prabhas’ role in Kalki 2898 AD. While many celebrities have voiced their support for the Telugu superstar, it was Nani’s comments that particularly sparked controversy among netizens. Many users criticized Nani for his controversial jibe at the senior Hindi actor and for demeaning his career. 

Nani's apology and justification

However, Nani recently came forward to clarify his remarks and apologize. He explained that his comments stemmed from his deep admiration for Prabhas, the pan-Indian star. He stated, “Prabhas is someone who, because of how he has been over the years, everyone feels they own him. He’s not just a big star who makes big films, but because of his humble nature, we feel like we own him.” 

He also acknowledged that his words were misinterpreted and that he could have chosen his words more carefully. “During the press event, I was asked about it, and I kept hearing that he was called something, so I reacted. Later, when I reviewed the situation, I realized it was being blown out of proportion. My choice of words could have been better, but that’s a different debate altogether. Even my statement has been blown out of proportion. I’ve realized that I should focus on my movie Surya’s Saturday (Saripodhaa Sanivaaram) and only respond to matters related to the film.” 

He concluded by noting that most people reacted out of love for their favorite star, which led to the debate and heated discussions online. 

For the unversed, when Arshad’s remarks about Prabhas’ character in Kalki 2898 AD emerged, several Telugu celebrities expressed their support for the pan-Indian star. Nani, who attended a press event for his upcoming film Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, also joined the discussion and criticized the Hindi actor for his remarks. Taking a swipe at Arshad’s career, Nani remarked that Arshad received the “biggest publicity” of his career after the incident and urged fans not to give “unwanted attention” to such matters. “This must be the most publicity he (referring to Arshad Warsi) has gotten in his life. You are unnecessarily glorifying an unimportant issue,” Nani said.   

Also read: Kalki 2898 AD on OTT: Netizens agree with Arshad Warsi for calling Prabhas a ‘joker’ in the film

Netizens criticize Nani’s comments

Following his comments, netizens slammed the actor and expressed disappointment with his comparison of the two actors' careers. When the press video went viral, many took to social media to criticize the Saripodhaa Sanivaaram actor for his remarks, expressing their disappointment at South Indian celebrities publicly humiliating and belittling Bollywood actors. They believe that such arguments further widen the rift between the North vs South debate. 

What did Arshad Warsi say about Prabhas?

For the unversed, Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi recently appeared on the podcast Unfiltered with Samdish, where he was asked if there were any films he had watched recently that he didn’t enjoy. In his response, he praised Amitabh Bachchan for his performance as Ashwatthama in Kalki 2898 AD but expressed disappointment with Prabhas and his acting. The Bollywood actor remarked, “Prabhas, I’m genuinely upset. Why did he come across like a joker? Why? I wanted to see a Mad Max-style avatar, with Mel Gibson vibes. I just don’t understand why they would make such choices.” 

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