Latest news with #Raanjhanaa
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
AI vs Artistic Integrity? Directors react to AI's role in reimagining films
In what is probably a first for the film industry, Raanjhanaa, the 2013 romantic drama starring and , is being re-released in Tamil Nadu — but with a major twist. The film will feature an AI-generated alternate ending, a move that has sparked a debate within the film fraternity. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While director Aanand L Rai has strongly objected to the use of artificial intelligence to alter his original work, the studio backing the film, Eros International Media Limited, has called it a 'creative reimagining. ' This instance has opened up a larger conversation around the ethics of using AI in cinema, especially when it comes to modifying creative content without the original filmmaker's approval. Is it innovation or intrusion? A natural evolution of storytelling or a violation of artistic integrity? We spoke to prominent filmmakers to understand where they stand on this contentious issue and how they view the future of AI in cinema. Changing a film without the writer & director's permission is wrong: Zoya Akhtar It is one thing to remake a film and alter its ending, but to digitally change an existing film without the permission or blessings of the writer and director is just wrong. I suppose filmmakers and screenwriters now need to add this to their contracts. And what about the actors? They agreed to another narrative. Changing the director's vision amounts to rewriting history: Om Raut AI is a great tool for artistes to collaborate with. It finds innovative ways to make our work simpler, but when AI is used to alter a film without the original filmmaker's consent, it raises serious questions. Filmmaking is a collaborative art, but the director's vision is central to this medium. Changing that vision amounts to rewriting history. AI makes it easier, faster, and more tempting than ever, but ease of access doesn't equal moral license. What will stop studios from modifying performances, dialogues, or even re-casting scenes with AI-generated actors – all without informing the person who made it? This undermines the integrity of the creative process: Hansal Mehta I'm not fully aware of the details behind this development. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But, if the climax has indeed been altered using AI without the consent of its original creators, in my opinion, it amounts to a breach of moral and creative rights. It also sets a troubling precedent: the misuse of a powerful technological tool in a way that disregards artistic intent and undermines the integrity of the creative process. I wouldn't be okay with any of my work being published without my consent: Siddharth P Malhotra I don't have a problem with a re-release of a film or altering the edit of a movie and re-releasing it. In fact, I would love to re-edit We Are Family with the edit I wanted or ideally have Maharaj with the scene that we couldn't put into the film. But the use of AI should be done as a tool to enhance something you can't physically do. Also, a film is purely a director's medium, so there is no way anyone can be or should be allowed without a director's consent to alter a film unless the director is not alive, even then, the family should be asked for permission. I wouldn't be okay with any of my work being published without my consent. Nobody should be allowed to touch the film without the filmmaker's consent– R Balki Under Indian law, the producer is the legal author of a film: Eros Eros International Media Limited issued their second statement on Tuesday to reiterate that they are 'the sole producer and exclusive copyright holder of Raanjhanaa (released in Tamil as Ambikapathy).' In their statement, they said, 'The re-release of Ambikapathy with an alternate AI-assisted ending is a legally compliant, transparently labelled, and artistically guided creative edition intended for Tamil-speaking audiences. It does not replace or alter the original Raanjhanaa, which remains untouched and widely available across all platforms. This version is part of a global and longstanding tradition in cinema of offering alternate edits, localised adaptations, and anniversary re-releases. As the sole financier, producer, and rights holder of Raanjhanaa, Eros holds complete ownership and control of all intellectual property, moral rights, and derivative rights under Indian Copyright Law.' About artistic collaboration and AI innovation, the statement said, 'It is imperative to reinforce that under Indian law, the producer is the legal author of a film. Mr Rai's disassociation from the Tamil alternate version is his personal choice, but his claim to ownership or moral authority over the work is neither contractually supported nor legally enforceable. The alternate ending was crafted under the direction of a human creative team using AI only as an assistive tool — not as an autonomous content generator. '
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Saiyaara': Making sense of the sensation
It has been an eventful week for culture observers. On smart televisions, more than 40 crores watched India's young cricket team, with an average age of around 26 years, playing out a hard-fought draw in the Old Trafford Test, while on the big screens, Saiyaara, a debutant-led classic romance, has scored around ₹200 crores in its first week of release and is still going strong. No one invoked Ro-Ko in sprawling stadiums, and the audience quickly bypassed aging screen gods at the box office as they became smitten by the sensory relationship between memory and music, love and longing. As the spotlight shifted from T-20s, rom coms, and horror-coms to something more wistful, enduring, and hard-earned; patience is still a virtue, and commitment is still cherished. In Mohit Suri's Saiyaara, the relationship between the tune and the lyric in creating a song is personified by Krish and Vaani. The heartbroken girl, who has just deleted Instagram from her phone, demands space to etch something in the memory of time, while the headstrong singer boy questions privilege and shuns instant fame for fidelity. She doesn't hide her past and doesn't embrace unhealthy traits like smoking, abusive behaviour, and late nights because it would give her access to Krish's mindscape or give her a sense of equality. Instead, she channels the feral force of the singer, who in turn realises his incompleteness without her voice, the words that are fading away from our lives in the gibberish of endless reels. The imposing image of an explosive Ahaan Panday disintegrating on his haunches against the pixilated yet profound eyes of Aneet Padda on the gargantuan screen of London's Wembley stage made heartbreak great again. Suddenly, the cricket broadcaster's bluster, 'seekhne nahin, sikhane aaye hain' , starts to make sense. Like the fearlessness of T-20 contributes to resilience in Test cricket, Saiyaara echoes middle-class youth's familiarity with spaces that were previously forbidden, giving them the strength to overcome emotional and social taboos. It is not this or that; it is more about the best of both, diminishing the space for cynicism. The weather wanes of Bollywood gauged that the audience is yearning for a true tearjerker, ever since Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar and Laila Majnu made the cash registers ring in their second coming. Recently, Anand L Rai's Raanjhanaa made a strong comeback as well. Young romance with a tragic twist has been a go-to theme when things don't work out for Bollywood biggies at the box office, or they have to launch one of their own. In the 1970s, Raj Kapoor invested in Bobby when the audience didn't empathise with his aging Joker. Initially, the film had a tragic end, but Kapoor heeded the generational shift and concluded with a message of hope. Rajendra Kumar launched his son Kumar Gaurav with Love Story (1981), and Dharmendra introduced Sunny Deol with Betaab (1983). The Mehras turned to Sohini Mahiwal in the 1980s to revive their fortunes. Nasir Hussain had the last hurrah with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) after a series of flops, the Barjatya's found their mojo with Main Pyar Kiya (1989), and the Roshans' found a new lease of life with Kaho Na Pyaar Hai (2000). However, since the abject failure of Aditya Chopra's Befikre in 2016, Yash Raj Films, the unofficial home of romantics since Daag (1973), had not touched the genre for eight years and was busy expanding its spy universe when its low-key marketing of young romance turned out to be a well-thought-out strategy. ALSO READ: 'Saiyaara': Ahaan Panday goes 'Krish Kapoor' mode to thank fans as Mohit Suri's film completes a week Known for initiating a dialogue between Indian and Western notions of romance through diasporic culture when the country adopted a free market economy at the turn of the millennium, the banner apparently lost its way when the obstacles to urban romance were overcome. Meanwhile, OTT entertainment took off, and the young generation looked to the East to find romance in Korean dramas. So, the banner brought in Suri. He carved out his niche under the brooding shadow of his uncle, Mahesh Bhatt, who helmed the original Aashiqui (1990) and made us believe in the decisions of the heart with Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991). Suri's filmography is dotted with films that are rooted in Korean romance, which emphasise the journey of courtship, engage with trust and understanding, and explore complex relationships within the context of family and social expectations, but the melancholic tone, raw emotions, and an air of vulnerability that his films exude remind one of the best of Bhatt. His themes resonate with a generation that has lived through the assumed 'befikri' (carefree) period of instant gratification, of finding love on dating apps, and the individualism prevalent on Instagram. ALSO READ: 'Saiyaara': Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta praises YRF's promotional strategy of Mohit Suri film Suri is one of the few filmmakers of this generation who can convey deep emotions through soulful music, a defining strength of Indian cinema once. Can the thought 'Kaise Zakhmon Ko Bata Marham Ka Milta Achaanak Pata'(How do wounds suddenly get the address of balm?) in Irshad Kamil's 'Humsafar' be expressed in a dialogue or through silence? The line stores the crux of the story where two lacerated souls heal each other. There is a sense of sacrifice and commitment that lasts beyond the wave of physical attraction. When the cynics underline that Saiyaara draws from John H. Lee's A Moment To Remember (2004), they perhaps forget that memory has been playing tricks with lovers for a long time. For those unaware of the Korean film, Krish playacting Virat Kohli in the climax of Saiyaara reminds us of Balu Mahendra's Sadma (1983), where Kamal Haasan transforms into a monkey on a railway platform. It was in the early 1980s when we could not spell Alzheimer's syndrome. In Satish Kaushik's Tere Naam (2003), a remake of Bala's Sethu, too, memory loss triggers a tragic end. Or the lesser-known U, Me Aur Hum (2008), whereAjay Devgn experimented with the Korean universe before it was cool. From the times of Heer Ranjha and Romeo & Juliet, writers have been telling the same story of unrequited romance with tragedy striking in different forms. My father would recall how youngsters thronged theatres to cry with Dilip Kumar in Nitin Bose's Deedar (1951) and would sing 'Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena, Aaj Hanse Kal Rula Na Dena' on the way back. As the visually impaired Shyamu, who regains his eyesight, the tragedy king stabs his eyes the moment he learns that his childhood love has no recollection of their friendship, embracing darkness. Fifteen years later, Manoj Kumar took Raj Khosla along to watch a re-run of Deedar and reworked the script to create Do Badan (1966), featuring 'Lo Aa Gayi Unki Yaad Woh Nahin Aaye', which became the new anthem for the lovesick. Legendary poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan wrote in his iconic poem, Madhushala, that every generation finds its chalice, its tavern, more intoxicating. What makes a romance shine is how the young lovers resonate with the audience. Like cricketers delaying their retirement, film stars too don't want to give up on the genre and make writers tweak the template according to their age. Some filmmakers also struggle to move beyond their chemistry with a star or their image. Suri also remained stuck with Emraan Hashmi until Humari Adhuri Kahaani (2015), which could have benefited from fresh faces. However, after every decade, a new pair emerges that changes the status quo. Cinephiles remember the huge impact a young Kamal Haasan made in the North when he asked Rati Agnihotri, 'Tere Mere Beech Main', in S.P. Balasubrahmanyam's clipped Hindi accent in K. Balachander's Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981), which sounded authentic for the Tamil boy Vasu, whose love hits a roadblock because of cultural differences. Similarly, what makes Saiyaara sound fresh is the lead pair. After a long time, we have two young actors who can make your heart throb, who can combine intensity with vulnerability without being self-conscious in front of the camera. While Ahaan reminds one of a young Sanjay Dutt with the way he owns the big screen and opens the character's wounds to the audience in all their raw richness, Aneet conveys the deepest of emotions even in stock scenes laced with standard lines. Not cut from the Bollywood cloth that makes most female actors pout and preen like clones, Aneet, after Alia Bhatt, is a natural powerhouse who can cause an emotional upheaval with her performance. The pathos in romance has just returned to Bollywood. This week, Dharma Productions, a factory of wafer-thin rom-coms, is taking a break from the genre to produce Dhadak 2, where caste plays the killjoy. Towards the end of the year, Anand will return with yet another tale of love and rage, Tere Ishq Mein, where he carries forward his bond with tragic romance and, of course, Dhanush.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dhanush Turns 42! From Kajol to Aanand L. Rai, Birthday Love Floods In
/ Jul 29, 2025, 01:36PM IST Veteran actor Dhanush celebrated his 42nd birthday on July 28, 2025, and the outpouring of love was extraordinary. Kajol lauded him as the 'ever cool and quietly brilliant' while sending birthday wishes. Sonam Kapoor shared a nostalgic throwback from 'Raanjhanaa' era, and Kriti Sanon sent touching wishes, calling him 'Shankar' and hoping his smile keeps lighting up the on the emotional scale, 'Raanjhanaa' director Aanand L. Rai posted a beautiful tribute quoting lyrics from their song 'Tum Tak,' calling Dhanush his brother. Meanwhile, music collaborator G.V. Prakash Kumar not only sent heartfelt greetings but also released the first single, 'Enna Sugam,' from Dhanush's upcoming directorial 'Idli Kadai'.
India Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
8 must-watch movies of Dhanush
8 must-watch movies of Dhanush July 28, 2025 Credit: Instagram/@dhanushkraja The film is about a spirited boy who falls for a girl who doesn't love him back. Dhanush captured Kundan's innocence, intensity, and eventual heartbreak with aching honesty. Raanjhanaa Credit:IMDb Dhanush delivered a power-packed performance as a man fighting caste and class. This gripping drama is both a family saga and a fiery social statement. Asuran Dhanush's rage simmered in a film in which a young man from a marginalized community rises in revolt. The film is unforgettable with symbolic storytelling and powerful visuals. Karnan The actor played a vulnerable yet fiery youth caught in an ego war on roosters. His National Award-winning performance is full of rawness and depth. Aadukalam A quiet man with a mysterious past is forced back into the world of violence he once left behind. Dhanush directed and acted in this gritty film on redemption. Raayan Two different people are forced into marriage, only to finally fall in love. Dhanush brought soulful charm into the film, also starring Sara Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar. Atrangi Re A dark and intense thriller, Kubera explored wealth, power, and moral dilemmas. Dhanush played a character navigating greed and guilt in a world driven by money. Kuberaa A carrom player gets pulled into a decades-long gang war. This Dhanush-starrer is full of twists, betrayals and fierce character arcs. Vada Chennai Wishing Dhanush a very happy birthday. Which film would you be watching today?
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dhanush turns 42: From Sonam Kapoor to Kajol, celebrities pen heartfelt wishes for 'Raanjhanaa' actor
Dhanush has turned 42 years old today. The film fraternity has poured in their birthday wishes for the 'Raanjhanaa' actor. Dhanush has turned 42 years old today. The film fraternity has poured in their birthday wishes for the 'Raanjhanaa' actor. Dhanush's Bollywood debut co-star Sonam Kapoor shared a throwback photo with the actor on his 42nd birthday. In the picture, the duo is seen giving a pose for the camera, dressed in ethnic wear. Dhanush donned a traditional South Indian attire comprising a while lungi and shirt, while Sonam Kapoor wore a saree. "Happy Birthday Dhanush," wrote Sonam Kapoor on her Instagram handle while sharing the photo. Dhanush's 'Velaiilla Pattadhari 2' co-actor and superstar Kajol also penned a beautiful message for the actor on his 42nd birthday. She wrote, "Happy birthday to the ever-cool and quietly brilliant Dhanush". She also shared a beautiful photo along with the caption. Aanand L Rai , the director who gave a huge break to South actor Dhanush in Bollywood with the film 'Raanjhanaa', penned the lyrics of the song 'Tum Tak' to convey his heartfelt emotions for the actor on his 42nd birthday. He wrote, "Meri har mann mabas tumtak. Mere sukh dukh aate jaate yaar tumtak !!! I never thought these lines will become my emotions for you. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Confirmed - This is the deadliest snake in the world Novelodge Undo Love you always. Happy birthday, mere bhai." Popular South Indian movie industry musician GV Prakash Kumar also shared a birthday wish for Dhanush. "Happy bday dear brother @dhanushkraja have a healthy and prosperous year ahead," wrote GV Prakash Kumar from his Instagram handle on Monday. The musician also gifted the fans of Dhanush by releasing the first single track from the actor's upcoming film Idli Kadai, starring Nithiya Menon in the lead role. The song is titled 'Enna Sugam'. Dhanush's upcoming spiritual sequel to 'Raanjhanaa' titled 'Tere Ishk Mein', co-star Kriti Sanon also shared a beautiful birthday message for the actor. Taking to her Instagram handle, she wrote, "Happiest Birthday Shankar. May that smile of yours be as bright. Keep shining, keep inspiring and keep lighting up the screen." Meanwhile, Dhanush's directorial 'Idli Kadai' is slated to release on October 1, 2025.
