Fans have started to side with Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi following the streaming release of Prabhas and Deepika Padukone’s film “Kalki 2898 AD” on Prime Video and Netflix. The sci-fi movie, which hit theaters on June 27, began streaming on Netflix in Hindi and on Prime Video in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada on Thursday. Directed by Nag Ashwin, the film features an ensemble cast including Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan.
After its OTT debut, viewers began echoing Warsi’s earlier criticism of ‘Kalki 2898 AD,’ in which he had called Prabhas a “joker.” While some viewers noted the film had its highs and lows, many agreed with the “Munna Bhai M.B.B.S” actor’s critique, suggesting the film had a comedic tone that undermined its potential.
On X, one fan commented, “#Kalki2898AD deserved a better film. It had its highlights, especially the ‘avatar’ elements, but future installments should focus on that rather than the discount Hollywood sci-fi. Arshad Warsi’s critique stands—Prabhas was spectacularly unfunny, not a joker.”
Another user supported Warsi’s remarks, stating, “#ArshadWarsi’s criticism was spot on. Prabhas’s role in #Kalki was poorly executed, with many cringeworthy moments.”A third user simply affirmed, “I just watched Kalki, and I agree with #ArshadWarsi’s comments.”
One user commented that South star Prabhas, despite his success with ‘Baahubali,’ has not demonstrated a masterclass in acting in his subsequent roles. “Prabhas is undeniably a Pan-India star, but aside from Baahubali, he hasn’t delivered an acting masterclass. He’s a major crowd-puller, but in terms of acting, he’s quite average. Arshad Warsi’s criticism is spot on—his look in ‘Kalki’ was cringe-worthy,” the user stated.
Another user, likely a fan of South star Allu Arjun, suggested that Arjun would have been a better fit for the role. “I watched ‘Kalki’ on Netflix today. The film was average, and I agree with @ArshadWarsi sir. #Prabhas was like a joker in the movie. He was the biggest letdown for me. I think @alluarjun would have done a much better job,” the user wrote.
It is worth noting that Arshad Warsi faced significant backlash on social media for his harsh critique of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. On a podcast with an Indian YouTuber, Warsi expressed his disappointment, saying, “Prabhas, I’m really disappointed. He was like a joker. Why? I was expecting something more like Mad Max. Why do they make such choices? I just don’t understand it.”
