Filmmaker Aanand L Rai has confirmed that he and actor Dhanush are exploring legal action against the AI-altered re-release of their 2013 film Raanjhanaa. The filmmaker called the modification which features an alternate happy ending "a very dangerous precedent" and raised alarm about what this could mean for the future of creative ownership.
"I am very worried about my other films. So is Dhanush. We are actively looking at judicial remedies to restore and preserve our creative content from such extraneous interventions," Aanand L Rai said in a strongly worded statement.
He emphasised that while they're examining long-term legal measures, the immediate focus is on the unauthorised alteration of Raanjhanaa. The Tamil version of the film, titled Ambikapathy, was re-released by rights holder Eros International on August 1 with an AI-generated climax that gives the film a happy ending, a drastic departure from the original.
Aanand L Rai, who directed the film, shared his deep disapproval on social media, calling the AI edit "jarring and disturbing."
In a post, he wrote, "The past three weeks have been surreal, and deeply upsetting. To watch Raanjhanaa, a film born out of care, conflict, collaboration, and creative risk, be altered, repackaged, and re-released without my knowledge or consent has been nothing short of devastating. What makes it worse is the complete ease and casualness with which it's been done."
Dhanush, who played the lead role in the film, echoed the sentiment.
In a post on X, he said, "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."
In response, Eros International Media Limited, which holds the copyright to the film issued a statement saying that they are the "sole and exclusive copyright owner" and have full rights to exhibit, adapt, and re-release the film in any format.
Pradeep Dwivedi, Group CEO, Eros Media World, told NDTV in an exclusive interview, "While not legally required, Eros believes in fair engagement. In this case, despite the ongoing legal matter, our notice of creative intent was conveyed post-production to Mr Rai. We regret his response but stand by the decision to proceed responsibly and transparently."
Dwivedi further said, "We view Mr Rai's public outburst, especially timed just days after the regulatory disclosures advised previously, as a conscious attempt to shift focus away from the legal and governance issues he currently faces. It is unfortunate that a filmmaker of his stature would attempt to conflate legal accountability with creative victimhood."
As for Dhanush's objection, the studio issues a statement, "We would like to respectfully clarify that an Eros representative had engaged in direct communication with Mr Dhanush's team regarding the proposed revisions, and no formal objection was communicated to us prior the AI-enhanced re-release of Ambikapathy."
Even as the controversy grows, Aanand L Rai and Dhanush seem determined to take the matter to court, warning that if left unchallenged, such use of AI could set a precedent that undermines the integrity of creative work across the film industry.