Adipurush released last week, and the film got flak for its dialogues and VFX. But that’s not it, people reacted to the film in different ways – where some were hurt by how the director represented the mythological epic. Others disliked the film from a cinematic point of view. The film has received a lot of criticism which has created controversies.
And here’s everything that has happened so far.
1. All India Cine Workers Association demands a ban on the film.
Recently, the All India Cine Workers Association wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, requesting him to stop screening the movie. The association also asked for a ban of the film on all platforms, including OTT. The letter added that the film harms the faith of the people, and an FIR should be filed against the director, writer and producers.
2. Nepal bans the screening of the film.
Kathmandu Mayor, Balen Shah, had raised questions on the depiction of Sita in Adipurush. The mayor had objected to the fact that Sita was referred to as “the daughter of India” instead of “the daughter of Nepal”. As a result, the film was banned in Kathmandu, which was followed by the ban of all Indian films in the capital of Nepal.
3. When Manoj Muntashir said that Hanuman is not God.
In a recent interview, the Adipurush dialogue writer, Manoj Muntashir explained why he used a simpler language for Hanuman’s character. He said that according to him, Hanuman wouldn’t talk like Ram. He wasn’t God, but a devotee. This didn’t sit well with people, and a number of people called his statement self-contradictory.
4. Questionable and cringe dialogues.
Ever since the film made it to theatres, people started talking about the dialogues. Some found the writing cringe, and others said that it was disrespectful. These dialogues were everything the internet was talking about on the day of the release. The writer, however, expressed his opinion and added that the makers have decided to revise some of the dialogues.
5. People protesting in India.
A number of people in Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh took to streets to protest Adipurush. Reportedly, a group of people in a mall in Nalasopara in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, disrupted a show. The group said that the film hurt their sentiments, and so they also asked people to boycott the film.
6. PIL filed against the film.
A group filed a PIL in Delhi High Court against the film. According to them, the film mocked Ram and Ramayana. This happened a few hours after release of the film, and the president of the group added that Om Raut’s directorial was in bad taste. The PIL asked to remove objectionable dialogues and scenes.
7. Dipika Chikhlia said that Ramayan is not meant for entertainment purposes.
Dipika Chikhlia, who portrayed Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s 1987 television series Ramayan, reacted to the film and also recreated a scene from the TV series. The actress also said that Ramayana should not be remade every few years because it is not meant for entertainment. She added that each new film or series will leave people offended.
“Every time it is going to come back on screen, be it for TV or movie, it is going to have something which is going to hurt people because you are not going to make a replica of the Ramayana that we made.”
Dipika Chikhlia
Adipurush opened to negative reviews from audiences for a number of reasons, and the controversies continue to take place.