Controversies and movies often go hand in hand, especially in an era where audiences are sensitive to nearly everything that is made. Last year witnessed several such massive controversies where films and filmmakers were reprimanded for certain portrayals or elements included in their work. One film that became one of the most controversial Hindi films is Adipurush. A retelling of the mythological epic Ramayana, Adipurush was directed by Om Raut and starred Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, and Sunny Singh in the leading roles. The film was widely criticized, eventually becoming the subject of numerous internet memes as netizens dissected it to find even more flaws than were initially noted. Dialogue writer Manoj Muntashir has now reacted to the controversy. 

Manoj Muntashir on the Adipurush Controversy

In case you don’t recall, Adipurush, produced by T-Series, was written and directed by Om Raut. The film stars Prabhas as Lord Ram, Kriti Sanon as Mata Sita, and Sunny Singh as Lakshman. The movie was harshly criticized by both critics and the audience, with many feeling it insulted the original source material. One of the main criticisms was the poor VFX, which, despite delaying the movie for six months to improve, were still considered subpar by many. Manoj Muntashir, the film's dialogue writer, was heavily trolled for writing lines that did not resonate well with the audience. Now, in an interview, Muntashir has spoken about the controversy, revealing his emotional response to the backlash.

The dialogues of Adipurush were met with so much criticism that the makers had to redub and change some lines after the film had already been released as part of a damage-control strategy. In a conversation with Shubhankar Mishra, lyricist and writer Manoj shared that he was deeply affected by the controversy and even cried when he saw the backlash. He said that he has come to understand that nothing is permanent, and what one has today might not be there tomorrow. Despite the criticism, he did not stop or bow to the pressure but continued his work amid all the noise.

Manoj Muntashir said, "As a person, I’ve learned that nothing is permanent. What is here today might not be here tomorrow. But I’ve also learned that what is good today might turn bad tomorrow, and then it might become good again the day after. So, I haven’t stopped or bowed down; I continue to work day and night."

Later in the same interview, Muntashir was asked whether the controversy surrounding Adipurush has affected his work. The writer responded that it hasn’t and that in the film industry, people will approach him if they believe they can benefit from him. He added, “Bollywood is a market. There are no strict rules in a market; profit is the only rule. When people find it beneficial to work with me, they will come to me, and they already are.”

Adipurush is currently streaming on Netflix in India.

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