I know what I'm doing: Kalki director defends film's climax, Karna portrayal

Filmmaker Nag Ashwin has defended his portrayal of Karna in Kalki 2898 AD after a social media comparison with the newly released film Lenin. His response invoked the Mahabharata and also turned attention to the still-evolving second part.

In Short

• A social media post praising Lenin sparked criticism of Kalki's climax
• Nag Ashwin cited Mahabharata passages where Krishna praises Karna to Arjuna
• He urged viewers to read Bibek Debroy's translation before judging

Filmmaker Nag Ashwin has addressed criticism surrounding his portrayal of Karna in Kalki 2898 AD, defending the film's Mahabharata-inspired climax with a reference from the epic itself. The filmmaker in a post on X also urged audiences to reserve judgement until the sequel, while teasing that Kalki 2898 AD Part 2 will offer more context.

The debate gained momentum after the release of Akhil Akkineni's Lenin, when a social media user praised actor Pramod Panju's portrayal of Karna, saying it represented how the character should be depicted on screen. The post went on to criticise Kalki 2898 AD, accusing Ashwin of glorifying Karna and describing the film's climax as "blasphemy".

Responding to a social media user, Ashwin said viewers should avoid drawing conclusions about the story before watching the second instalment. While defending his creative choices, he also shared a fresh update on the sequel, asking fans to "wait for Part 2."

See the post here:

Replying to the criticism, 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, he 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)."

His concluding remark has since fuelled speculation around the sequel.

See Nag Ashwin's comment here:

What's the update on Kalki 2898 AD Part 2 ?

Meanwhile, the makers have confirmed that Deepika Padukone will not return for Kalki 2898 AD Part 2 after parting ways with the project. Sai Pallavi has been linked to the film, although her casting has not been officially announced. Reports have also suggested that Alia Bhatt could join the cast in a key role.

Addressing speculation around new additions, Ashwin clarified that the character of Sumathi will continue to play a crucial role in the sequel, although the team is yet to announce who will portray her.

"We need to announce who plays the Sumathi character in Kalki 2. As of now, everything is speculation only. The character will be there for sure, which we can't remove as it's a very important character," he said.

The sequel will see Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan reprise their roles, with Supreme Yaskin expected to take centre stage as the primary antagonist following the first film's cliffhanger ending. Reports have also suggested that the sequel will feature larger-scale action sequences led by Prabhas.

- Ends