Manoj Muntashir apologizes to public over Adipurush's dialogue

Om Raut's epic mythological drama Adipurush may be shattering records at the box office garnering an overwhelming response across the world but it has not come without its share of controversies. Though Adipurush has been conquering hearts of audiences across all ages, it could not please a section of the audience who objected to some dialogues in the film.

Reacting to the criticism, dialogue writer Manoj Muntashir has said in an interview that it is not an error but a very meticulous thought process that went into writing the dialogues for Bajrang Bali and all the characters. Manoj added that if there are multiple characters in the film then all of them can't speak the same language, so there has to be a diversion. He further added that when grandmothers used to narrate stories from Ramayana to them during childhood, they would recite such dialogues only. He shared that many narrators also would use the same language and he isn't the first one to write this dialogue.

However netizens aren’t convinced with his explanations and have taken to twitter and other social media platforms to express their discontentment and anger and have called him names and even abuse him for the same. Looking at the growing resentment and discontentment, Manoj Muntashir apologized to public over Adipurush's dialogue. In an emotional tweet in Hindi, Manoj Muntashir went on to elaborate how the first lesson one can learn from Ramkatha is to respect every emotion. He went on to add, “Right or wrong, time changes, feeling remains. I wrote dialogues of more than 4000 lines in Adipurush, some sentiments got hurt on 5 lines. In those hundreds of lines, where Shri Ram was glorified, Maa Sita's chastity was described, praise was also to be received for her, which I don't know why I did not get. My own brothers wrote indecent words for me on social media. The same my own, for whose respected mothers I read poems many times on TV, addressed my own mother with indecent words. I kept thinking, there can be differences, but where did my brothers suddenly get so bitter that they forgot to see Shri Ram who considered every mother as his mother. Sitting at the feet of Shabri, as if sitting at the feet of Kaushalya.”

Manoj added, “It is possible that in a 3-hour film, I have written something different from your imagination for 3 minutes, but I could not know why you were in such a hurry to write Sanatan-Drohi on my forehead. Have you not heard the song 'Jai Shri Ram'? Didn't you hear 'Shivoham'? Haven't heard 'Ram Siya Ram'? These praises of Sanatan in Adipurush are also born from my pen. I have also written 'Teri Mitti' and 'Desh Mere'. I have no complaint with you, you were, are and will be my own.

If we stand against each other, Sanatan will lose. We have created Adipurush for Sanatan Seva, which you are seeing in large numbers and I am sure you will see in future as well.”

He also asked then why this post? “Because for me there is nothing greater than your feeling. I can give countless arguments in favor of my dialogues, but this will not reduce your pain. Me and the producer-director of the film have decided that some of the dialogues which are hurting you, we'll revise them, and they'll be added to the film this week.” He ended with the typical “May Shri Ram bless you all!”

Taking into consideration the public opinion and to make this visual spectacle a memorable cinematic experience, the team of Adipurush has decided to make alterations to the film’s dialogues. The makers are revisiting the said dialogues, ensuring to resonate with the core essence of the film and the same will reflect in the theatres in the next few days.