'Disturbed' Dhanush lashes out at AI-altered ending of 'Ambikapathy' re-release

Tamil actor Dhanush has strongly lashed out at the AI-edited climax of Ambikapathy, the Tamil version of his 2013 Hindi film Raanjhanaa, which was re-released last week.

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AI-altered climax

Raanjhanaa director Aanand L Rai had earlier condemned production house Eros International for altering the film's climax using AI for the re-release of Ambikapathy, without his consent.

Now, Dhanush, who played the role of the hero Kundan in the movie, has also issued a statement expressing his dismay over the AI-modified ending.

Posting under the caption “For the love of cinema”, the actor refrained from directly naming Eros International but took a clear stance against the use of artificial intelligence to alter the film’s original narrative.

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Dhanush urges action

"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," Dhanush wrote in a post on X.

In both Raanjhanaa and Ambikapathy, Dhanush’s character dies in the original version. However, the re-released Tamil film, Ambikapathy, uses AI to alter the ending and keep Kundan alive.

Stricter regulations

In his statement, Dhanush further emphasised the broader implications of this decision, “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.”