'Deeply disturbed': Dhanush reacts to Raanjhanaa's AI-edited climax, says it lacks the film's soul

Dhanush has voiced strong disapproval over the recently released AI‑edited version of his 2013 drama Raanjhanaa, calling the new alternate ending 'completely disturbing' and declaring it has “stripped the film of its very soul”

In a post shared under the title “For the love of cinema”, he wrote: “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. This is not the film I committed to 12 years ago.”  He further warned that the unregulated use of AI in creative works “threatens the integrity of storytelling and the legacy of cinema,” urging the imposition of stricter oversight to prevent similar incidents in future releases

The film’s re-release, under the Tamil title Ambikapathy, was unveiled on August 1, 2025, featuring an AI-generated 'happy ending' where Dhanush’s character survives, altering the original tragic finale

Filmmaker Aanand L Rai, the director of Raanjhanaa, also criticised the move. Rai labeled the changes as a “reckless takeover” made without his consent and voiced concern over creative disempowerment of original creators

Other industry figures—including Neeraj Pandey, Kanika Dhillon, and Tanuj Garg—have echoed the criticism, some calling the AI-edited climax “utterly disrespectful,” and have underscored broader anxiety about AI’s growing role in post-production and storytelling.

Raanjhanaa, directed by Aanand L. Rai and written by Himanshu Sharma, is a romantic drama that takes place in the city of Varanasi and later shifts to Delhi. The film stars Dhanush, Sonam Kapoor, and Abhay Deol. The story follows Kundan Shankar (played by Dhanush), a boy from Varanasi who falls in love with Zoya (Sonam Kapoor), a girl from his neighbourhood, when they're just kids. His love for her is intense, obsessive, and this drew flak from critics, for falling in the range of stalking.

Years later, Zoya returns to Varanasi, in love with Akram (Abhay Deol), a student leader. However, when Kundan realises that she does not reciprocate his feelings, his heartbreak leads to a series of tragic decisions—including betrayal and political manipulation—that spiral out of control.

The film ends on a tragic note with Kundan’s death, but he dies content.