'People Like To Interpret Noise': Arshad Warsi Breaks Silence On Backlash After His Prabhas 'Joker' Remark

Breaking his silence on the online backlash he faced following his comments about Telugu star Prabhas looking like a "joker" in "Kalki 2898 AD", actor Arshad Warsi on Saturday said his remarks were about "the character and not the person".

At the IIFA Awards 2024 green carpet, Arshad called Prabhas a "brilliant actor", adding people today like to interpret noise.

"Everybody has their own point of view and people like to interpret noise. I spoke about the character, not the person. He 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," Arshad told PTI.

VIDEO | “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,… pic.twitter.com/TlIJ7geeCo

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 28, 2024

Last month in an episode of the "Unfiltered by Samdish" podcast, the "Munna Bhai" star was asked to name the last bad film he watched and he said it was "Kalki 2898 AD", the 3D sci-fi spectacle directed by Nag Ashwin.

Arshad Warsi TURNS OFF Comments Under Family Photo On Instagram After Abusive Messages From Prabhas Fans

While Arshad was all praise about megastar Amitabh Bachchan's performance in the pan-India movie, he said he was sad that Prabhas was like "a joker" in the blockbuster movie, a comment that didn't go down well with fans as well as the Telugu film fraternity, including actors Nani, Sudheer Babu and director Ajay Bhupathi.

Later, Ashwin too reacted to the row, saying Arshad could have "chosen his words better but it's ok".

Sorry to Say
Prabhas is a Joker in #Kalki2898AD
- Munna Bhai MBBS fame Arshad

So sad to hear this 💔

Not only Him , They are many people saying Amithab is main lead and prabhas is a comedian including some Telugu audience

Hope he will do main lead in Kalki Part2 pic.twitter.com/tEJthHynMe

— Hemanth Kiara (@ursHemanthRKO) August 18, 2024

At the green carpet, Arshad said he is happy that industries of different languages are coming together to make movies.

"The blurring of language barriers should have happened a long time ago. I really feel enraged when someone uses terms like Bollywood or Tollywood. I have corrected many people many times, I told them this is the Indian film industry.

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"We all are in it together. My competition is with the rest of the world, it's not with each other... Like when I direct a film one day, I'd like to cast everybody, no matter where (industry) they come from. Language is immaterial," he added.

Asked to share an update about "Munna Bhai 3", the actor teased "there are talks, it may happen"