Filmmaker Anand L. Rai has finally broken the silence on a controversial AI-edited version of his 2013 Cult Classic ‘Raanjhana’, which is being broadcast without their permission. He described this experience as ‘destructive’ and ‘depth hurting’.
In a sharp and emotional statement, the filmmaker expressed his resentment over his creative work ‘negligent capturing’, as well, he also thanked for the support from the film industry and the audience. The director shared a picture of his Raanjhana star Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor from the film’s set on social media and told how emotional impact the last three weeks have made on him and his team.
He wrote, the last three weeks have been a bad dream and extremely disturbing. It has been extremely disappointing to see the film Raanjhana, who was a replaced, renovated, and released without consent without my knowledge or consent without sensitivity, struggle, cooperation and creative risk. The thing that makes it even more tragic is that it has been done with the ease and carelessness.
However, he also said that the support from the film industry and audience during this period gave him emotional support. Nevertheless, in the midst of all this, the support and solidarity received from the industry, our audience and the widespread creative community kept reminding me of what values ‘raanjhana’ actually symbolized – relationship, courage and truth. I am heartily grateful for this.
Anand L. Rai said with full clarity, I do not support nor recognize the AI-revised version of ‘Raanjhana’. This is completely unauthorized. I had no contribution in this, nor the team that made this film. Whatever it claims, this is not the film we had made or wanted to make.
He said, it was not just a film for us. It has been shaped by human hands, human flaws and emotions. Now what is being broadcast is no tribute. It is a negligent occupation that destroys the purpose of this composition, our hard work, its feeling, its reference and its soul.
Expressing deep disappointment over this incident, he said, “Thinking that our hard work can be replaced by a machine and can be served in the name of innovation – it is extremely humiliating.” Wrapping the emotional heritage of a film in a sheet of artificial intelligence, introducing without permission – this is not a creative function. This is a gross betrayal with everything we created.
Speaking on behalf of his entire team – writer, actor, musician, lyricist, technician and team -making team – he said in conclusion, and emphasized that no advice was taken from any of us. Nobody’s talk was heard. If Raanjhana matters something to you, as it was for us, please know that this AI-changed version does not show who we were. Nor does it reflect the spirit of the film made by us.
