Adipurush controversy: Makers to revamp dialogues after public backlash for distorting Ramayana; Know details

Following backlash for distorting the Ramayana, the makers of ‘Adipurush’ have decided to revise controversial dialogues. Changes will be incorporated into the film in response to the criticism received--- By Amrita Ghosh

The makers of Adipurush, have decided to revise certain dialogues in response to backlash received for allegedly distorting and disrespecting the epic. The film, directed by Om Raut and featuring Prabhas as Ram, Kriti Sanon as Sita, and Saif Ali Khan as Raavan, faced criticism for its subpar visual effects, poor character design, and the use of what some deemed as pedestrian language for Gods. Manoj Muntashir Shukla, the writer of the dialogues, acknowledged that some sentiments were hurt and stated that he and the producer-director had decided to revise the dialogues that were causing offense. He expressed his willingness to address the concerns and added that the revised dialogues would be added to the film during the upcoming week.

The controversy surrounding ‘Adipurush’ garnered attention from political parties, actors, filmmakers, critics, and the audience. The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Aam Aadmi Party criticized the film for allegedly hurting Indian sensibilities, with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel even suggesting a potential ban on the movie if demanded by the people. Union Minister Renuka Singh expressed hope that the Chhattisgarh CM would ban the film in the state.

Notably, the film's credit roll acknowledged the support of various Chief Ministers, including Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, and Maharashtra CM and BJP ally Eknath Shinde.

Veteran actor Arun Govil, who portrayed Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's TV adaptation of Ramayana, criticized Adipurush for its use of colloquial language. Mukesh Khanna, known for his role as Shaktimaan, condemned the film for its dialogue writing, stating that history would never forgive the makers for "humiliating" Lord Hanuman.

Om Raut, the director of Adipurush, gained nationwide fame for his 2020 film Tanhaji, starring Ajay Devgn in the lead role. The team behind ‘Adipurush’ intends to make alterations to ensure that the film resonates with the core essence of the Ramayana.