Wolf became Wulfa: When ‘Telugu’ Translation Goes Wrong

The trend of releasing movies in multiple languages with a pan-India appeal has recently become quite common. Many filmmakers and producers are eager to tap into the vast audience potential across various regions of the country.

Unfortunately, not every production team pays meticulous attention to the dubbing process, leading to embarrassing and sometimes humorous mistakes. One such recent example is Prabhu Deva’s movie “WOLF,” which will be released in multiple languages.

The film’s teaser poster displayed the Telugu title reads, “Wulfa,” which inadvertently translates to a curse in the Telugu language. Such errors lead to trolling and reflect poorly on the filmmakers’ attention to detail and respect for regional languages.

In the past, renowned filmmakers like AM Ratnam and talented actors like Vishal, Surya, and Vikram took special care when dubbing their films into different languages. They understood the importance of accurate translations and ensured that the essence of the content was preserved.

Some filmmakers and stars, unfortunately, have not been careful in this regard. It is vital to understand that just using Google Translate or blindly relying on the popularity of a star’s name may not suffice.

This proves that one must exercise caution when undertaking such ventures, especially for movies with lesser-known actors.

We have to see if the makers of WOLF realize their mistake, at least now.