Pooja Pillai is an entertainment journalist with Asian Media Group, where she covers cinema, pop culture, internet trends, and the politics of representation. Her work spans interviews, cultural features, and social commentary across digital platforms.
She began her reporting career as a news anchor, scripting and presenting stories for a regional newsroom. With a background in journalism and media studies, she has since built a body of work exploring how entertainment intersects with social and cultural shifts, particularly through a South Indian lens.
She brings both newsroom rigour and narrative curiosity to her work, and believes the best stories don’t just inform — they reveal what we didn’t know we needed to hear.
What began as a routine casting change for Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s next big film, Spirit, has now snowballed into a messy online spectacle. Deepika Padukone was initially rumoured to play the lead opposite Prabhas. Then came news that she had stepped away, reportedly due to scheduling issues, a hefty fee demand and a request not to shoot in Telugu. Soon after, Triptii Dimri was announced as the new lead, and that’s when the real drama began.
Suddenly, stories began circulating about the film’s "bold content" being the reason Deepika backed out. Reports claimed that both Prabhas and Triptii had agreed to certain adult scenes, suggesting Deepika wasn’t comfortable with them. Then, without naming anyone, director Vanga posted a cryptic but pointed tweet accusing an unnamed actor of betraying his trust and playing "dirty PR games" to paint a younger actor in a bad light.
— (@)
It didn’t take long for people to connect the dots. Was Deepika being accused of leaking details about Spirit to create a backlash against Triptii? That’s the speculation dominating social media. But the real question isn’t whether Deepika leaked anything. It’s why Triptii, who’s simply stepping into a role, is being dragged and judged for choices she didn’t make.
The way some online users have reacted mocking Triptii for "A-rated" roles, linking her worth to kissing scenes, and calling her "too bold" says more about the audience than the actor. The same public that cheered her fiery presence in Animal is now shaming her for the very quality that made her popular. She’s even being unfairly compared to Deepika, as though being younger and less established makes her less deserving.
This isn’t the first time Triptii has faced such scrutiny. She was allegedly dropped from Aashiqui 3 earlier this year because she was deemed "too exposed" after Animal. Meanwhile, her male co-stars face no such judgements, despite participating in the same content.
In all this chaos, what stands out is how quickly blame is placed on women, especially younger ones, for decisions beyond their control. Triptii didn’t leak stories. She didn’t insult anyone. She simply accepted a role. And yet, she’s the one paying the price.
Critics praise Gulzar’s opening narration as the series’ emotional anchor.
Several reviewers find the animation ambitious but uneven.
Many reviews note secondary voice performances lack range compared with the narration.
Reviewers differ on pacing and storytelling focus: some call it tight, others say it feels stitched.
Viewers and critics recommend watching for the scale and music, not for flawless character work.
This Kurukshetra review is a round-up of what critics and early viewers are saying about Netflix’s new animated retelling, and one name keeps coming up: Gulzar. Across reviews, the opening narration is almost universally singled out as the strongest element, while opinions split sharply on animation quality, voice casting and whether the series’ narrow battlefield focus pays off.
Netflix’s animated Kurukshetra draws praise for its ambition but criticism for uneven voice performances Instagram/netflix_in
What do reviewers say about Kurukshetra and Gulzar’s role?
Multiple reviews call Gulzar’s baritone the series’ single greatest asset. Critics write that his lines give scenes emotional gravity. They said the narration "grounds" the show and often rescues moments that might otherwise feel flat. A few outlets even suggested his voice elevates sequences beyond the animation’s limits.
Do critics think Kurukshetra gets the animation right?
The answer is mixed. Several reviewers applaud the scale, chariot set pieces, wide battle frames and the sheer ambition. Others point out inconsistencies, like faces that do not always register emotion and occasional stiffness in character movement. Many reviews used the same phrasing: “impressive in scope, uneven in detail.”
How do reviewers view the voice cast beyond Gulzar?
This is where opinions cluster on the negative side. A number of critics say secondary voiceovers feel one-note and do not match the gravitas Gulzar brings. A handful of reviews praised specific performances, but the dominant note was: solid, not stellar.
Pacing and focus. Some reviewers appreciated the choice to limit the story to battlefield days and called it focused and brisk. Others felt certain backstories were teased, leaving them wanting more, and described the structure as stitched together. So, pick your critic: some loved the discipline, others wanted a fuller sweep.
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