Actor Arshad Warsi’s comments stating that Prabhas looked like a “joker” in filmmaker Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD, has snowballed into a controversy that refuses to die down. Amid the comments which has angered fans of Prabhas and other artistes from the Telugu film industry, Arshad’s old interview regarding his views on dubbed South Indian films has now resurfaced online.
A user posted an old interview clip of Arshad on Reddit, where the actor was asked about his take on the rise of dubbed South Indian films at the box office. It is not clear which film or movies was being referred to.
In the clip, Arshad Warsi is seen calling them “time pass” as he reveals how his entire staff is glued to such movies which are mindless entertainers. He also alludes to Superstar Rajinikanth’s on-screen swag, with his action and the style of smoking his cigarette.
“All the staff at my house watch dubbed South Indian films. It is highly entertaining. Rajinikanth is such a big star, there must be a reason for it. In that (cinema), you don’t have to think too much, wrack your brains. Cars are blasting, people are flying, cigarettes smoke in style., it is all time pass. Eat popcorn, watch the film, and go home,” he said in the video.
Arshad Warsi’s comments angered fans on social media, with many noting how his views on South Indian films were highly misinformed and prejudiced. “Yeah 😊, in Jersey, Mahanti, Jai Bhim, Maharaja, Super Deluxe, cars were flying,” read a sarcastic comment.
While many slammed Arshad in the comment sections of the video, others also noted how before the pan-India movement (which started with SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali), North Indian audiences had a deeply prejudiced view about movies from the South, similar to what the actor echoed.
While Arshad Warsi has been mum since the controversy erupted, filmmaker Nag Ashwin said the actor should have “chosen his words better,” adding that his remarks were no reason to start a fan war across the Hindi and the Telugu film industries.
“Let’s not go backwards. No more North-South or Bolly vs Tolly. Eyes on the bigger picture. United Indian Film Industry. Arshad saab should have chosen his words better, but it’s ok. Sending buji toys for his kids. I’ll work hard so he tweets FDFS that Prabhas was the best ever in Kalki 2,” he tweeted.
Kalki 2898 AD is the biggest grosser of the year so far, earning more than Rs 1,000 crore at the global box office. The mythological sci-fi epic also starred Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan.
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