‘Ashamed of dialogues that I wrote’: Manoj Muntashir regrets doing Adipurush, calls it the ‘biggest mistake of my life’, begs for forgiveness

As Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash-starrer Ramayana gears up for its November release, fans are eagerly awaiting the film’s trailer. The trailer, which was reportedly scheduled to release on July 24, has now been indefinitely postponed, reportedly due to a collaboration with Sony Pictures. Some rumours also suggest that the ongoing CJP-led protest may have contributed to the delay.

The postponement has left fans disappointed, with many expressing concern that Ramayana should not meet the same fate as Adipurush. Starring Prabhas as Lord Ram, Kriti Sanon as Mata Sita and Saif Ali Khan as Ravana, Adipurush was one of the most anticipated Indian films of 2023 but faced massive backlash over its dialogues and writing.

While writer Manoj Muntashir had strongly defended the film during its release, he has now admitted that writing the dialogues and defending Adipurush remain the biggest regrets of his career.

In a conversation on Times Now’s podcast Baatein Dil Se, Manoj revealed that his wife had advised him not to publicly defend the film. He recalled that nearly six months before Adipurush released, people had already begun questioning the makers and trolling the project. His wife feared that he would become the face of the backlash. Looking back, Manoj admitted that he regrets not listening to her.

Speaking about the criticism surrounding the film, Manoj said, “In the beginning, I was a bit dismissive. It took me two days to understand. Adipurush was the biggest mistake of my life, and defending that film was an even bigger mistake. Whatever happened around the film, I’m very ashamed of it, and I beg the forgiveness of this country for all that had happened.”

The lyricist and writer further admitted that he feels disappointed for not doing justice to Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman. He also said that several of his remarks, including his comments about Lord Hanuman, were taken out of context. However, he added, “Now, when I look back, I am ashamed that I wrote them. I don’t know what I was thinking when I wrote them.”

Helmed by Om Raut and produced by T-Series and Retrophiles, Adipurush was inspired by the Hindu epic Ramayana. The film starred Prabhas as Raghava (Lord Rama), Kriti Sanon as Janaki (Sita), Saif Ali Khan as Lankesh (Ravana), Sunny Singh as Shesh (Lakshmana), and Devdatta Nage as Bajrang (Hanuman).

Made on a reported budget of around ₹600 crore, Adipurush was one of the most expensive Indian films ever produced. It released in theatres on June 16, 2023, and despite generating massive pre-release buzz and opening to strong box office numbers, it received widespread criticism for its visual effects, dialogues, characterisation and modern reinterpretation of the Ramayana. Several dialogues sparked controversy, prompting the makers to revise some of the lines after the film’s release. Although the film grossed over ₹390 crore worldwide, it was ultimately considered a commercial failure due to its enormous production cost and overwhelmingly negative reception.