Eros Hits Back at Dhanush: ‘We Own Raanjhanaa, Not You’

In 2013, Raanjhanaa released to strong reactions for its emotional ending. The film marked Dhanush’s Bollywood debut and was directed by Aanand L. Rai. More than a decade later, the film is in the news again, but not for its original version. On August 1, 2025, a Tamil-dubbed version called Ambikapathy was re-released. This time, the ending was different. Using AI tools, the climax was changed, Kundan, the lead character, survives. The move surprised many. Some viewers saw it as a positive change. Others, including the film’s original team, were not pleased.

Dhanush released a statement saying the new version was made without his approval. He said the change affected the film’s meaning. Aanand L. Rai, the director, also said he wasn’t involved. He called the alternate version unauthorized. In response, Eros International, the company that produced the film, released a statement on August 5. They said the new version was legally made and created with proper oversight. They stressed that the original Raanjhanaa remains untouched and widely available.

Eros also addressed some specific claims. They said they are the sole producer and financier of the film. They rejected suggestions that Aanand L. Rai had invested his own money or held any ownership. The company said they alone hold full rights to the film, its content, and any alternate versions. Another issue came up about Tere Ishk Mein, a new film from Aanand L. Rai. Eros claims the team behind it is trying to link it to Raanjhanaa without permission. A legal notice was sent on July 25 to stop any such references.

The use of AI in film editing is becoming more common, but this case shows it’s not without problems. Changing a film after its release, especially without the original creators’ support, raises new questions. Who decides what version of a story lives on? And who gets to change it?