Dhanush objects to AI-edited version of 'Raanjhanaa', echoes director Aanand L Rai

Actor Dhanush, known for essaying the iconic character of 'Kundan' in Aanand L Rai's Raanjhanaa, has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding the film's AI version.

The 2013 romantic drama was in the headlines lately over the makers' decision to alter the film's ending with the use of artificial intelligence, sparking a heated debate.

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Dhanush, who played the lead role in the movie, voiced his discontent at the move, saying that the re-release of Raanjhanaa with an AI-altered climax left him "completely disturbed".

"This alternative ending has stripped the film of its soul, and the parties concerned went ahead with it despite my clear objection," he said. "This is not the film I committed to 12 years ago."

Dhanush also weighed in on the concerns regarding the use of AI to alter films and content.

"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," he explained.

Dhanush's reaction came after director Aanand L Rai also echoed similar sentiments on social media. Taking to Instagram, Rai shared a long note to criticise the altered version.

"The idea that our work can be taken and modified by a machine, then dressed up as innovation, is deeply disrespectful. To cloak a film's emotional legacy in a synthetic cape without consent, is not a creative act. It's an abject betrayal of everything we built," a part of his message read.

The 2013 movie became a cult classic in the years following its release. Apart from Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, Swara Bhasker and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub starred in prominent roles.