Manoj Muntashir’s ‘Adipurush’ retracts lines amid public outrage

A firestorm of criticism has erupted over “Adipurush,” the latest retelling of the epic Ramayana by award-winning writer Manoj Muntashir, who has been forced to grapple with substantial public backlash, particularly over the film’s subpar visual effects and a handful of controversial dialogues that has left viewers vexed and upset.
The film, studded with big names like Prabhas as Lord Ram, Kriti Sanon as Goddess Sita, Sunny Singh as Laxman, and Saif Ali Khan as Ravan, under the directorial baton of Om Raut, found itself deep in the waters of contention soon after its release. Audiences took to social media in droves, expressing their chagrin at the usage of colloquial expressions like ‘marega bete’, ‘bua ka bagicha hain kya’, and ‘jalegi tere baap ki’.
The tide of online outrage forced Muntashir and the film’s production team into damage control mode. Speaking to ANI, Muntashir stated, “Our aim was to present the true heroes of Sanatan to our younger generation. There is an objection to 5 dialogues and they will be changed. If people are not liking some parts, then it’s our responsibility to fix them.”
This public concession came after Muntashir revealed via a tweet that he had been subject to vitriolic abuse on social media over his controversial lines in the film. In a lengthy post, he sought to reconcile with the irate audience, addressing the disconnect between his vision and the audience’s expectation while upholding his commitment to the cultural ethos of Sanatan.
The decision to revise the contentious dialogues is an unprecedented move in the Indian film industry, and Muntashir’s open admission of the same signals a new era of consumer-driven accountability. “Why this post? Because for me there is nothing greater than your feeling. I can give countless arguments in favour of my dialogues, but this will not reduce your pain,” Muntashir wrote.
The language used in the film, especially in the ‘Lanka Dahan’ sequence featuring Lord Hanuman’s dialogues, garnered criticism for being oversimplified and colloquial. Viewers and political party leaders alike shared their dissatisfaction with the character depiction of Bajrang (Hanuman), performed by Devdatta Nage.
However, amid the onslaught of criticism, the film has been gathering impressive collections at the box office. According to T-Series, the film has accumulated Rs 240 crore in just two days of release, an impressive feat for a production that reportedly cost Rs 500 crore.
As Muntashir navigates this minefield of public outrage and commercial success, the dramatic fallout serves as a stark reminder of the balance artists must strike between creative liberty and cultural sensitivity, especially when retelling tales steeped in religious and cultural significance.