Karan Johar backs Aanand L Rai, slams Raanjhanaa producer for AI-altered ending: ‘kya hi ukhaad liya....'

Filmmaker Karan Johar has come out in support of director Aanand L Rai amid the ongoing controversy over the AI-altered re-release of Raanjhanaa. The 2013 romantic drama, starring Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor, was re-released in August this year with a new AI-generated climax that changed the film’s original tragic ending. The move triggered backlash from the film’s cast and director, who accused the producers of tampering with his creative vision.

In a conversation with Komal Nahta on his YouTube channel Game Changers, Karan Johar said that while producers may legally own a film, they still have a moral obligation to respect the director’s vision. “This should now be contractual. If the producer owns 100% of the film, then they have the right to do what they want. But there has to be a moral dilemma about it,” he said.

Karan added that even when he owns a film’s intellectual property, he never makes changes without consulting the director. “If you’re changing a director’s vision and releasing it without their consent, then that is not right,” he said. Supporting Aanand L Rai directly, he remarked, “His job was to call Aanand L Rai, whose vision it was, because of which you’re able to do this today. It’s your moral responsibility. Aur kya hi ukhaad liya aapne change karke? Aisa nahi hai ki uss film ka bahut bada business hua. It’s inauthentic. AI has to be used for its worth — what’s natural will always work better.”

Karan also noted that while AI will play a major role in the future of filmmaking and could even replace VFX to cut costs, it should be used responsibly.

The re-released version of Raanjhanaa replaced its original ending, where Dhanush’s character Kundan dies, with a new scene showing him opening his eyes. Director Aanand L Rai and actors Dhanush and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub criticised the move, calling it disrespectful to the film’s soul.

Eros, the studio behind the film, defended its decision, calling it a “legal reinterpretation.” However, for many in the industry, the debate has now raised bigger questions about ethics, ownership, and the boundaries of AI in storytelling.