For some, Dhanush’s performance in Raanjhanaa (2013) is maybe just something that brings tears-gushing, but the artist is really furious over the AI altered re-release of the film. The happy “happy ending,” AI-generated, has already created a fiery controversy on creative rights and ethics concerning AI in cinema because the Tamil version, Ambikapathy, was released on August 1, 2025.
Dhanush’s Rage: “Stripped the Film of Its Soul”
Adding to Dhanush’s ire, his tweet, “This new edition of Raanjhanaa with an alternate AI-altered climax has just disturbed me completely. This alternate end stripped the movie of its very soul.” Such a climax, where his character Kundan dies, was cited as being central to the emotional depth of the movie.
For the love of cinema 🙏 pic.twitter.com/VfwxMAdfoM
— Dhanush (@dhanushkraja) August 3, 2025
In the AI version, Kundan wakes up in a hospital, which Dhanush says had been ordered despite his objections. He called it a “deeply concerning precedent” and urged for stricter AI regulations in cinema to protect artistic integrity. Fans echo his sentiments; one customer tweeted: “They killed the soul of Raanjhanaa instead of Kundan!”
Director Aanand L. Rai Calls It a “Dystopian Experiment”
Director Aanand L. Rai, equally livid, labelled the AI-altered climax as a “rash and dystopian experiment”. The newly found Rai came upon the re-release through social media with no clue about the change. He claimed that the raw flaw in Raanjhanaa was what made the film strong, adding that by changing it, the trust built by 12 years of audiences loving the original is now betrayed.
Rai warned that a dangerous door was opening by rewriting some of the great films, such as Sholay. Many industry voices, including Neeraj Pandey, termed the move as “utterly disrespectful”.
Eros Defends AI as “Creative Reimagining”
Eros International-the producer of the film defended the AI-altered climax as a “respectful reinterpretation” intended to attract new audiences. Bhandari, Pradeep Dwivedi, CEO, introduced the fact that there were common global practices by which an entity having legal rights over a film also claims its adaptations.
But fans are divided-some cheer Kundan’s survival, while others are without that poignant essence. With the controversy comes a broader discourse on AI in restructuring what is already a cinematic legacy.
