Raanjhanaa, the Hindi-language romantic drama, is known for its tragic storyline concerning the ill-fated love between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman. It is slated to make a comeback in theaters on August 1 as Ambikapathy, but this time, viewers will experience an unexpected twist with a ‘happy ending’ replacing its original somber conclusion.
Pradeep Dwivedi, the chief executive of Eros Media Group, defended this decision, framing it as part of their strategic vision that embraces technological innovation. He characterized the alteration as an “exploratory initiative,” indicating the group’s intent to explore comprehensive changes in their extensive library through similar AI treatments.
Dwivedi emphasized a balanced approach between what technological advances allow, the creative potential unlocked, and audience reception. He posited that if such technology can enhance storytelling, why not utilize it?
This reimagined release has sparked strong opposition from director Aanand L Rai, who expressed his dismay at learning about the project through media reports. Rai feels that this innovation threatens the very essence of intentionality and authorship in filmmaking and has begun exploring legal avenues to address the situation along with the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association.
The movie originally featured Tamil actor Dhanush and Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor. Eros, the company behind the re-release, aims to present the AI-altered version as an optional experience rather than a substitute for the original.
While Eros boasts a catalog of Indian classics through its streaming platform, Eros Now, which offers over 11,000 digital titles, the move raises a question about the impact of AI on the integrity of filmmaking and copyright issues.
