Indian Film Company Rereleases 2013 Romance with AI-Altered Ending
A 2013 romantic drama is being reintroduced in theaters with a new ending created using artificial intelligence, marking a possible first in global cinema. The decision was made without the involvement of the film’s original director.
Originally titled *Raanjhanaa* in Hindi, the film tells the story of a doomed love affair between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman. It will return to cinemas on 1 August under its Tamil name, *Ambikapathy*, but with its tragic conclusion replaced by a happier one.
Pradeep Dwivedi, CEO of Eros Media Group, explained that the move aligns with the company’s creative and technological vision. He described the change as an initial test and confirmed that Eros is assessing its catalog of over 3,000 films for potential AI-driven modifications.
"If technology enables us to do something meaningful, why not explore it?" he said. "There needs to be a balance between what technology offers, artistic freedom, and audience reception."
Director Aanand L Rai, who was not consulted about the changes, strongly criticized the decision. "It’s disheartening to see a future where intent and authorship can be discarded so easily," Rai told the Press Trust of India. "This reckless experiment goes against artistic integrity."
He stated that his team had reached out to the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association and was considering legal action. Neither Rai nor the association responded to *CuriosityNews*'s request for comment before publication.
The original film starred Tamil actor Dhanush and Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor as the ill-fated couple, with one character dying in the original version.
Eros’s extensive library includes iconic Indian films such as *Sholay*, Mother India, Om Shanti Om, and Bajirao Mastani. Its streaming platform, Eros Now, offers more than 11,000 titles.
Dwivedi clarified that Ambikapathy was developed internally with human oversight and is presented as an optional version, not a replacement. Marketing materials note the AI-generated ending, though Eros did not confirm if this disclosure will appear in the film itself.
Reacting to Rai’s criticism, Dwivedi called it an "emotional" response while pointing to an ongoing dispute between Eros and Colour Yellow Productions, a studio co-founded by Rai.
In a statement to CuriosityNews, Harini Lakshminarayan, COO of Colour Yellow, said its partnership with Eros had previously ended due to operational challenges. She criticized the decision to proceed without input from the original creators as contradictory to claims of a "respectful reinterpretation." She added that the situation highlights the urgent need for clearer guidelines on AI usage in filmmaking, particularly regarding intellectual property.
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