Aanand L. Rai-directed ‘Raanjhanaa,’ starring Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor in the lead, is all set to re-release in Tamil Nadu with a different climax, edited using artificial intelligence. The producers, Eros International Media, reworked the movie and included a happy ending. The use of artificial intelligence to change a film’s artistic integrity has sparked a heated debate about creative control and the future of cinema. Several filmmakers and writers slammed the move by the makers, and now, director Neeraj Pandey has joined the list.Here’s a closer look at what Neeraj Pandey said.
Neeraj Pandey calls the AI-edited climax of ‘Raanjhanaa’ ‘disrespectful’
In an interview with NDTV, Pandey said, “AI is just a tool. A human being is operating it. So it’s the intent behind its use that matters. And if a piece of cinema is being altered without involving the director and writer, then it’s utterly disrespectful.”The director said that he was shocked. Elaborating further, he said if the makers are implying that they have the rights and they can do anything, “that’s still no excuse.” He stated that the production house could have communicated the same with Aanand L. Rai and the other creators involved in the movie. He said, “It would have been the right thing to do.”
Neeraj Pandey on the use of AI in movies
The ‘Special 26’ director acknowledged that the process of moviemaking has evolved with technology. He said, “While it (AI) is still nascent, it will develop rapidly. Hopefully, we’ll use it well—and not misuse it.”
Eros on backlash
The production house published a big statement on the issue. Defending their move, it called the recreated version “a legally compliant, transparently labelled, and artistically guided creative edition intended for Tamil-speaking audiences.”
The statement added that the new climax has been made using AI as a tool but with a creative team of humans. They added that AI was not the autonomous content generator for the new ending.
