Rewriting Kundan: How AI's 'Happy Ending' to Raanjhanaa Ignited a Storm

Economic Times

07-08-2025

When Raanjhanaa released in 2013, its blazing, acerbic storyline etched itself into the collective consciousness of a generation. Its focal point was Kundan, played by Dhanush, a possessive, errant lover who dies alone on a hospital bed, shattered but redeemed. It was not a tale of triumph, but of surrender. The heartbreak was the essence. Cut to 2025, and Kundan's death has been reversed.
First, the Tamil-dubbed one, Ambikapathy, was re-released with the ending completely changed thanks to AI. Instead of perishing, Kundan wakes up in the hospital with eyes fluttering open to see the tearful faces of friends. The mood is melodramatic, the music swells with optimism, and the agony is mellowed. It's a reworking meant to satisfy viewers who want resolution, comfort, and emotional satisfaction. But in doing that, the AI-changed ending triggered a firestorm within the film community.
The reaction was immediate and angry. Headed by Dhanush himself, the actor publicly deplored the change as "a distortion that takes away Kundan's journey and essence." His director, Aanand L. Rai, was in agreement. "We told a tale intended to be tragic. That was its soul. You can't rewrite that into a happier tone just like that." To them, and most purists, this was not an alternate ending; it was treachery.The altered climax was a result of the partnership between a private media organization and an AI visual synthesis company that deals in deepfakes and digital restoration. The aim, reportedly altruistic: to render ancient tales "more emotionally accessible" to modern-day viewers. Test audiences, reportedly close sources indicate, reacted "very positively" to the new climax, leading executives to release it publicly on streaming services.But this isn't merely about one film. It's about the cultural line in the sand we're drawing or erasing with AI. What do we do when algorithms begin reframing stories once chiselled in stone? Can emotional closure be grafted onto a film without eroding its fundamental meaning?
We've seen colorizations of black-and-white films, 4K remasters, and director's cuts. But this is different. This isn't enhancing a film, it's rewriting it. Without the director's consent. Without the lead actor's approval. Without respecting the context in which the original story was created.Critics contend that such AI-driven changes unleash a Pandora's box. Today, it's Kundan waking up in the hospital. Tomorrow, will Devdas get away with Paro? Will Anand recover and marry Renu? Will Masaan end with the lovers reunited?There's a reason why these films lasted; they had the guts to speak the truth. Not all love is returned. Not all heroes are given a second chance. By rounding off the rough ends of cinema, are we denying audiences the unflinching, honest catharsis that art should deliver?Meanwhile, support for the AI cut is that other endings have always been there, both in literature and television. Since Clue or La La Land, storytelling has toyed with "what if." Why not both versions and allow them to decide? Why hold on so hard to suffering when hope is a mere line of code away? Because, maybe, hope not earned is not hope-it's delusion.The scandal also presents serious ethical and legal issues. Who has the right to the soul of a movie? Is it the distributor, the producer, the audience, or the creators who penned and breathed it? The makers of Raanjhanaa were not approached nor paid for this AI-altered version. While the studio avoided legal trespass by seemingly vague copyright provisions, the ethical trespass is more difficult to ignore.As a reaction to growing indignation, the site has since published a disclaimer stating the "alternate ending is AI-generated and does not reflect the original creative intent." But for movie buffs of the original film, it is too late. The AI rendition is out there now, and once something is retold even in cyberspace, it starts to warp common memory.As we delve further into an age where technology can retrofit narratives to fit the zeitgeist, we must consider: What are we giving up when we choose comfort over complexity? When we erase painful endings, do we also erase the lessons they impart?Kundan was never supposed to live. His death was the climax of his life, a man who loved excessively, gave excessively, and ended up finding mercy in letting go. That is not a flaw in the story. That was the theme.We can rewrite it and feel good for a while. But perhaps, perhaps, feeling shattered was what made Raanjhanaa so unforgettable in the first place.