Zeeshan Ayyub, known for his role as Murari in the film Raanjhanaa, has voiced strong disapproval of the AI-altered ending of the movie, which was re-released in theaters. Ayyub expressed that the emotional depth and beauty of the original story were compromised by the changes. He particularly criticized the altered final monologue and the inauthentic portrayal of characters, deeming it offensive.
The actor shared his views in an interview with Digital Commentary, stating that the beauty of Raanjhanaa lay in the pain and satisfaction it offered, where love reached its final stage in death, a sentiment so beautiful it was allowed to happen. He felt that this essence was taken away, changing the film's core. He said, "In my opinion, it was very bad, and I completely disagree with it".
Ayyub was particularly critical of how AI was used to alter his own scenes. He described the AI-generated shot as "humiliating" and said his "heart sank" upon seeing it. He stated that he would never portray such a reaction and found the artificial portrayal of his character insulting. "The only respect we have is that our acting is good, and here they made my shot with AI — and it's such a humiliating shot that my heart just sank. I'll never cry the way shown in the AI version," he said.
Furthermore, Ayyub recounted noticing a significant error in the AI's alteration of Swara Bhasker's character. While AI managed to put a smile on her face, it failed to change the expression in her eyes, resulting in a jarring and unnatural appearance. He noted, "With Swara's character, they put a smile on her face but forgot to change the expression in her eyes. So, it looks really funny. The eyes are in pain and there's a weird smile on her face".
Aanand L. Rai, the director of Raanjhanaa, also expressed his disapproval of the altered ending and distanced himself from it. He clarified that he did not support or endorse the AI-altered version and had no role in its creation.
Zeeshan Ayyub is known for his acting skills, especially for playing Murari in Raanjhanaa. Reacting to the altered ending, Ayyub said that he was angry and felt like suing the company responsible for the changes. He believed that an important emotion was stolen from the audience. He added, "You took a very important emotion away from the audience. I even got angry, I thought, 'I'll sue them, man".
The altered ending of Raanjhanaa sparked outrage from fans and criticism from key figures associated with the film. The changes, which included a "happy ending" where Dhanush's character survives, were perceived as a betrayal of the original narrative's emotional impact and artistic integrity. Ayyub's strong reaction reflects the broader sentiment that AI should not be used to tamper with the essence of storytelling and artistic expression.
