Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi broke his silence a month after he faced backlash over his 'joker' remark on Prabhas. In August, Arshad had said tha Prabhas, in the film Kalki 2898 AD, 'was like a joker'. Now, at an award function on Saturday, Arshad talked to the media about the backlash following his comment and also called Prabhas a "brilliant actor.
He said, "Everybody has their own point of view and people like to interpret noise. I spoke about the character, not the person. He (Prabhas) is a brilliant actor and he has proved himself again and again, and we know about it. And, when we give a bad character to a good actor, it's heartbreaking for the audience."
Last month, while speaking on a podcast, when Arshad was asked to name the last bad film he watched, he said it was Kalki 2898 AD. Arshad had said, “Prabhas, I am really sad, why was he… he was like a joker. Why? I want to see Mad Max. I want to see Mel Gibson over there. Tumne usko kya bana dia yaar. Kyu karte ho aisa mujhe nahi samajh mein aata (What have you made of it? Why do they do such things I never understand).”
Thereafter, Telugu stars slammed the ‘Munnabhai MBBS’ actor. Actor Nani said that Warsi's comment was unnecessary and that the actor got the biggest publicity of his career from it. Nani later backtracked on his comments, saying that he reacted instinctively and that his choice of words was poor. Even new sensation Siddhu Jonnalagada spoke about mutual respect and said that everyone in the Telugu film industry is mindful about not making such comments.
Finally, director of much hyped ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ Nag Ashwin, also waded into this controversy and said, "Let's not go backwards… no more north-south or bolly to tolly (Bollywood vs Tollywood)… eyes on the bigger picture… united Indian film industry… Arshad saab (sir) should have chosen his words better… but it's ok… sending Buji toys for his kids… I will work hard so tweets… that Prabhas was the best ever in K2 (flexed biceps emoji)."
