Dhanush slams re-release of Raanjhanaa with AI-altered climax: ‘It has stripped the film of its very soul’

On Sunday, Dhanush revealed that he objected to the use of AI and alternate ending in Raanjhanaa, adding that “the concerned parties” still went ahead with it.

The conflict over the re-release of Raanjhanaa with an AI-altered climax has escalated. After director Aanand L Rai, actor Dhanush has come forward to slam the use of AI, saying the alternate ending has stripped the film of its very soul.

Dhanush's Raanjhanaa (also Ambikapathy) was re-released in theatres on August 1.

Dhanush speaks up

On Sunday, Dhanush issued a statement which posted on his social media handles. The actor revealed that he objected to the use of AI and an alternate ending, adding that “the concerned parties” still went ahead with it.

Titled “For the love of cinema”, Dhanush wrote in his note, “The re-release of ‘Raanjhanaa’ with an AI-altered climax has completely disturbed me. This alternate ending has stripped the film of its very soul, and the concerned parties went ahead with it despite my clear objection”.

“This is not the film I committed to 12 years ago. The use of AI to alter films or content is a deeply concerning precedent for both art and artists. It threatens the integrity of storytelling and the legacy of cinema. I sincerely hope that stricter regulations are put in place to prevent such practices in the future,” he added.

In the AI-altered ending of Raanjhanaa, Dhanush's character Kundan doesn't die as shown in the 2013 film. Kundan is then seen opening his eyes and sitting up on the bed, leaving Bindiya (Swara Bhasker) and Murari (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) in happy tears. In the original film, Kundan is shot and sent to the ICU. Later, Zoya (Sonam Kapoor) rushes to the hospital to be with him in his dying moments.

The actor’s statement follows an escalating war of words between Eros and filmmaker Aanand L. Rai. On July 29, the studio issued a statement defending the use of AI in the re-release, and accused Aanand of unauthorised use of Raanjhanaa intellectual property in his upcoming film Tere Ishk Mein. They also called the ending a legal reinterpretation.

Ever since the AI-altered ending of Raanjhanaa was announced, Aanand has stated in numerous interviews that it sets a dangerous precedent for changing filmmakers' vision. He has also pointed out that his permission wasn’t taken from Eros before they altered the ending to a ‘happy’ one.

About Raanjhanaa

Raanjhanaa (2013) is a romantic drama film directed by Aanand L Rai and written by Himanshu Sharma. The film also stars Abhay Deol. Raanjhanaa released on June 21, 2013, while the Tamil-dubbed version Ambikapathy was released a week later. A standalone sequel, Tere Ishk Mein, is set to release on November 28 this year.