On August 1, the Tamil version of Raanjhanaa (titled Ambikapathy) returned to theaters—but with an unexpected twist. The film’s ending was changed using AI technology, replacing the tragic climax with a happy one. What shocked the film industry and fans alike was that this change was made without the consent of the original director, Aanand L Rai.

In the original ending, Dhanush’s character Kundan dies in Zoya’s (Sonam Kapoor) arms. But in the AI-edited version, Kundan is shown regaining consciousness with cheerful background music and emotional reunions—effectively rewriting the film’s emotional conclusion.

While fans on social media reacted with surprise and joy—many writing “Kundan is alive!”—the director called the move a “betrayal of everything we built.” Aanand L Rai said the film was meant to reflect human flaws and emotions, not be reshaped by algorithms.

This bold move by Eros International has triggered a wider debate in Bollywood: Should studios use AI to alter completed films? Who has the creative right to rewrite a story? Industry voices like Neeraj Pandey have slammed the edit as "utterly disrespectful."

As Bollywood navigates the rise of AI, the re-release of Raanjhanaa stands as a turning point—one that raises urgent questions about creative ownership, ethics, and the role of human emotion in storytelling.