‘Dhanush’s words cut deep’: Dhanush’s statement on Raanjhanaa’s AI altered climax leaves the internet divided
After Raanjhanaa’s AI altered climax received mixed reactions online, lead actor Dhanush has now shared an official statement sharing how he felt about it
Back in 2013 when Aanand L. Rai’s Raanjhanaa released, many fans exited the cinema halls with a broken heart after watching Dhanush aka Kundan die in the end. The climax of the film, also starring Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Swara Bhasker, was hauntingly beautiful. So when the film re-released 12 years later with an AI altered climax, where Kundan opened his eyes and did not die, fans were divided. Meanwhile, Dhanush was left disturbed. In an official statement, the actor shared, “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 went on to add, “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.” Before Dhanush, director Aanand L. Rai also voiced his disappointment. Well, some fans agree with Dhanush. For instance, one social media user commented, ““This is not the film I committed to 12 years ago.” @dhanushkraja’s words cut deep. AI’s potential is thrilling, but rewriting a classic’s soul crosses a line. Let’s champion innovation and respect for creators—time for clear guardrails to keep cinema authentic,” whereas another wrote, “Raanjhanaa is a great movie because of its climax. You change the ending, you ruin the movie. The last dialogue, “ Ab saala kaun urge…” is the jaan of this movie.” But some netizens are trolling Dhanush.
Under his tweet, one such internet user claimed, “For 'love of cinema' 🤡🤣 My foot. R u the same who sent @NayantharaU a legal notice for using some behind the clips and demanded money. There is no love for cinema, u r upset coz they didn't pay u for rerelease or maybe they didn't bother to inform u about it 🤣 Aiyyo aiyyo,” whereas another wrote, “I don't understand what is the problem with this?? We saw the original film. We know the original ending. That ending will stay as it is. This is just a short re-release with an alternate ending which some people wanted to see. It's not a big deal @dhanushkraja . Calm down!” A fan even pointed out, “i mean this just healed something in me but yes ai is bad ( im at so much peace he woke upppp).”
What are your thoughts on the use of AI for altering the ending of cult classic films?
