Dhanush slams Raanjhanaa's AI-altered ending after Anand L Rai, Varun Grover; calls it ‘a deeply concerning precedent': ‘It has stripped the film of its very soul'

Indian Express

a day ago

Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor starrer Raanjhanaa recently grabbed headlines for its AI-altered climax in its re-release (August 1) version at the theatres. After director Aanand L Rai, the film's lead actor Dhanush has also come forward to call out the changes made using AI, stating that the ending has snatched away the movie's soul. On the other hand, Raanjhanaa's production banner Eros International described it as 'creative reimagining'.
Dhanush issued a statement, slamming the move, on his social media handle on Sunday. Captioned as 'For the love of cinema', Dhanush wrote, '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.'
He added, '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.
For the love of cinema 🙏 pic.twitter.com/VfwxMAdfoM
— Dhanush (@dhanushkraja) August 3, 2025
Rai had told SCREEN, 'I got to know about it through a social media announcement a couple of days ago. People have already been messaging me asking me why that ending is being changed. I just can't wrap my head around this. I don't get it, how can they do this? It's an ending people have loved! If not the filmmaker, at least listen to the audience.'
Rai later shared a long note on his Instagram handle. 'The past three weeks have been surreal and deeply upsetting. To see 'Raanjhanaa', a film born out of care, conflict, collaboration and creative risk, being altered, repackaged and re-released without my knowledge or consent has been nothing short of devastating. What makes it even more disheartening is the casual manner in which it's been done. And yet, amid all of this, the outpouring of support and solidarity from the industry, audiences and the wider creative community has reminded me what 'Raanjhanaa' originally stood for: connection, courage and truth. I am immensely grateful for that,' he wrote.
ALSO READ | Raanjhanaa's AI-altered re-release: Why director Aanand L Rai is unhappy, what the law says
'I had no involvement in it. Nor did the team that originally made the film. Regardless of what it claims to be, this is not the film we set out to create. 'Raanjhanaa' was never just a film to us, it was a work crafted by human hands, shaped by human flaws and genuine emotion. What is currently being circulated is not a tribute, but a reckless hijacking that robs the piece of its intent, its context and its soul. The notion that a machine can alter our work and present it as innovation is profoundly disrespectful. Repackaging a film's emotional legacy in synthetic form without consent is not creativity, it is a betrayal of everything we built,' Anand added.
A post shared by Aanand L Rai (@aanandlrai)
In a statement to SCREEN, Eros mentioned that the film's re-release is a part of their company's strategy to reintroduce classic cinema and they have complete rights to do so. They also 'categorically' rejected the director's allegations. The company's group CEO, Pradeep Dwivedi, said, 'This is a creative reimagining, not a replacement, and is consistent with global industry practices, including anniversary editions, alternate cuts, and modernised remasters. We categorically reject Mr Rai's allegations, which are not only factually incorrect but also legally unfounded. The re-release is a respectful reinterpretation and not a 'tampering' of the original. It is clearly positioned as an alternate, AI-enhanced version—akin to Classic cuts or re-edits seen globally.'
Meanwhile, writer-lyricist Varun Grover also reacted to the news and called it a 'dystopian experiment wrapped in comedy.' In a reel on Instagram, he said, 'The film is good,' his uncle told him, 'but just change the ending and it'll be a hit.' He further elaborated how he avoided making the change due to budget and logistical barriers. 'But apparently, someone else's uncle has enough to AI-edit Raanjhanaa, make it a happy ending, and re-release it. So, whoever's uncle it is, namaste to them,' he added, with a frown.
A post shared by Varun Grover (@vidushak)
The film was re-released at the theatres in Tamil Nadu as Ambikapathy with a different AI-generated 'happy' ending, which is a first for the industry. Raanjhanaa tells the story of Kundan (Dhanush), a Hindu boy who falls in love with Zoya (Sonam Kapoor), a Muslim girl. In the original ending of the film, Kundan is shot and he dies at the hospital. However, in the AI-altered version in Tamil, the movie doesn't end with his death. While some fans praised their efforts, others expressed disappointment about the ending on social media.