Director Nag Ashwin has responded to the criticism surrounding the portrayal of Karna in Kalki 2898 AD, following fresh debates on social media about the legendary warrior’s characterization in the film.
Addressing the criticism on X, Nag Ashwin shared a page from the Drona Vadha Parva of the Mahabharata and defended his creative approach by referring to the epic itself.
In his post, the filmmaker wrote:
“These are Sree Krishna’s own words to Arjuna in the Drona Vadha Parva… pls 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.”
The page shared by Nag Ashwin contains a passage in which Ashwatthama strongly criticizes Karna during a conversation in the Mahabharata, reflecting the complex relationships and differing perspectives among the epic’s central characters. By sharing the excerpt, the director appeared to emphasize that the Mahabharata presents multiple viewpoints rather than a single, one-dimensional interpretation of its heroes.
Nag Ashwin also urged readers to refer to Bibek Debroy’s English translation of the Mahabharata, suggesting that a closer reading of the original text would provide better context for Karna’s character. He further stated that he has the “greatest respect” for Indian history and mythology and expressed confidence in his interpretation, asking audiences to wait until Kalki Part 2 before drawing conclusions.
His response has sparked fresh discussion among fans of both the Mahabharata and the Kalki franchise, with many now looking forward to how Karna’s journey will be explored in the sequel.
The post Nag Ashwin Responds to Karna Debate, Asks Fans to ‘Read the Mahabharata’ appeared first on TeluguBulletin.com.
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