Dhanush as Kundan doesn't die in Raanjhanaa's AI altered climax; viral video leaves fans divided: ‘Ripped the soul'

Hindustan Times

3 days ago

In a film when you root for a character and they die in front of your eyes, it breaks something inside you. But it also leaves a long-lasting impact on audiences. The same happened in Aanand L. Rai's 2013 Raanjhanaa, which went on to attain the cult classic status. Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Swara Bhasker and the entire country was heartbroken when Dhanush as Kundan breathed his last in the hospital. But AI brought him back to life! In the re-released version, the climax was altered. Instead of dying on the hospital bed, Kundan opens his eyes and gets up to walk again. The viral clip of the same has been leaked online. While some feel healed, others believe this change was not needed. Raanjhanaa happy ending
Rejoicing the happy ending that Kundan aka Dhanush's character gets in the new re-released version of Raanjhanaa, a netizen shared, 'Changing climax of #raanjhanaa by ai is a bad idea for sure. But to see the positive ending heals something in me🫠❤️ #Ambikapathy #dhanush,' whereas another agreed and wrote, 'I'm not saying the new climax is the best, but watching it did bring me some happiness..AI👏 #Raanjhanaa #Ambikapathy.' However, a majority are not in the favour of this new ending. One such netizen pointed out: 'they just killed the soul of the movie instead of Kundan #RaanjhanaaReRelease #Ambikapathy #Raanjhanaa.'
Another Twitter user shared, '#Raanjhanaa We all wished Kundan lived; not for a fairytale ending, but because we felt his heartbreak when he said, 'Par saala ab uthe kaun.' That pain, that imperfection, was what made Raanjhanaa raw, flawed, human and unforgettable. Art isn't meant to be 'fixed' by code. It's meant to be felt, debated, even left imperfect. What they've done isn't editing - it's ERASING. Stripping away the soul of a story and replacing it with a lifeless, manufactured copy. Raanjhanaa was supposed to hurt, to stay with you - not to be rewritten by a machine chasing fake closure. 💔'
In an official statement, Aanand L. Rai shared, 'I do not support or endorse the AI-altered version of Raanjhanaa. It is unauthorised. I had no role in it. Neither did the team that made the film. And whatever it claims to be, it is not the film we intended, or made.' He further added, 'If Raanjhanaa meant something to you, as it did to us, please know that this AI-altered version does not reflect who we were. Nor does it carry the spirit of the film we made.'
What are your thoughts on the new version of Raanjhanaa?