When envisioning the future, the creators of Kalki could have done a better job of reimagining the past. Instead, they chose to recycle the familiar Karna vs. Arjuna narrative.
Three myths were perpetuated:
Myth 1: Ashwatthama loved and admired Karna
The movie depicts Ashwatthama remembering Karna with fondness and respect, even believing Karna to be superior to Arjuna. But what does the Mahabharata say? In reality, Ashwatthama was, at best, neutral toward Karna and even slightly disrespectful for good reason. Before the Virat Yuddha, Ashwatthama rebukes Karna, saying:
The cattle have not been conquered yet. They have not crossed the boundary. Nor have they reached Hastinapura. O Karna! Why are you boasting?… What Kshatriya should be satisfied at having obtained a kingdom through gambling? That is cruel and should be for other ordinary men. Having obtained riches through deceit and fraud, what wise man will boast of it, like a vendor of flesh? In which duel in battle have you vanquished Dhananjaya, Nakula, or Sahadeva? Whose riches have you robbed? Has Yudhishthira, or Bhima, supreme among strong ones, ever been defeated by you? And in which battle did you win over Krishna?… He is superior to you in valor. He is equal to the king of the gods in archery. He is Vasudeva’s equal in battle.
Myth 2: Karna saved Ashwatthama
In the climax, the movie shows Karna saving Ashwatthama from Arjuna. However, in the Mahabharata, it is Ashwatthama who saves Karna from Arjuna, not once, but three times. One instance, from the Jayadratha Vadha Parva, reads:
His eyes coppery red in anger, Dhananjaya swiftly dispatched an iron arrow towards Karna, and it was like Destroyer urging Death. That iron arrow, released from Gandiva, swiftly sped towards Karna, like Garuda descending from the sky in search of a supreme serpent. Using his own arrow, Drona’s son severed the iron arrow in the air. The maharatha wished to free Karna from his fear of Dhananjaya.
I encourage readers to explore the other two instances.
Myth 3: Karna pushed Arjuna’s chariot… wah wah…taaliyan
This is one of the most circulated myths about Karna vs. Arjuna, where Krishna supposedly praises Karna for moving their chariot a few steps. But the truth is, nothing of that sort happened. Period.
