Versatile actor Dhanush expressed deep disappointment over the unauthorised re-release of his 2013 cult Bollywood film Raanjhanaa. After director Aanand L. Rai, Dhanush also criticised the use of artificial intelligence to alter the climax of the film and removing the very soul of story.

On Sunday night, Dhanush issued a formal statement through his social media handles. He slammed that the concerned parties went ahead with the AI altered climax despite his objection. In a strongly worded note, Dhanush came down heavily on the creators and expressed deep concern for the world of cinema.

In his letter, Dhanush 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. 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”.

Raanjhanaa is a romantic entertainer featuring Dhanush and Sonam. The film released in 2013 and received both critical and commercial success at the box office and emerged as a classic. In the original film Dhanush as Kundan was shot and sent to the ICU after which Zoya played by Sonam rushes to hospital to be with him during the last moments. But, the AI version has the lead character alive in the climax.