3 min readHyderabadJul 13, 2026 03:51 PM IST
Director Nag Ashwin, who is known for staying away from social media debates, broke his silence on Saturday over the criticism of how Karna was portrayed in Kalki 2898 AD, telling his critics to read the Mahabharata before passing judgment.
The response came after a social media post went viral following the release of Akhil Akkineni’s Lenin. A user praised actor Pramod Panju’s performance as the antagonist in Lenin and said that this was how Karna should be shown on screen. The comment quickly turned into a direct attack on Kalki 2898 AD, with the user accusing Nag Ashwin of glorifying Karna at the expense of Arjuna and calling the film’s climax “blasphemy.”
The criticism was not new. Since Kalki 2898 AD released last year and became one of the biggest Indian films at the box office, a section of viewers and commentators has taken issue with how the film elevated Karna’s character, arguing that it diminished Arjuna’s stature and distorted the original epic. Lyricist Anantha Sriram had publicly raised the same objection on more than one occasion, saying that filmmakers should present epics as written by Vyasa rather than altering the balance between characters for cinematic effect.
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But this time, Nag Ashwin chose not to let the accusation go unanswered. He shared a screenshot from Bibek Debroy’s acclaimed English translation of the Mahabharata, specifically from the Drona Vadha Parva, in which Lord Krishna himself praises Karna’s strength and valour to Arjuna.
“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,” Nag Ashwin wrote. “I have the greatest respect for our history. I know what I’m doing. Wait for Part 2.”
these are Sree Krishnas 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. pic.twitter.com/iU2CSq1uNM
— Nag Ashwin (@nagashwin7) July 12, 2026
The passage he shared describes Krishna telling Arjuna that it was their fortune that Karna’s armour and earrings had been taken away, and that the invincible weapon had been used on Ghatotkacha, because had Karna retained those, he would have been capable of conquering all beings across three worlds, including the gods.
The response has reignited the conversation around the film online, with fans and critics once again taking sides. But more than the debate itself, it is Nag Ashwin’s closing line that has drawn the most attention. “Wait for Part 2” suggests that the director has a clear plan for how Karna’s arc will unfold in the sequel, and that what viewers saw in the first film is not the complete picture.
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Kalki 2898 AD, starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Deepika Padukone, was produced by Vyjayanthi Movies. The sequel is currently in production, though the project has also made news for Deepika Padukone’s exit from the franchise earlier this year.
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