Adipurush controversy: From Poor VFX to objectionable dialogues, all you need to know

Om Raut’s Adipurush has been in the news for a while and has also received a certain amount of criticism since its theatrical release. Apart from facing flak for VFX work, mixed reactions to the colloquial nature of some dialogues has embroiled the film in controversy. Recently, Adipurush got slammed by the Allahabad High Court for its contentious dialogues which have angered a section of the audience. The dialogues have reportedly hurt viewers' sentiments. Here's a look at all the controversial incidents that took place around the movie. 

3 things you need to know

• Adipurush starred Prabhas, Kriti Sanon and Saif Ali Khan in lead roles. 
• The film debuted in theatres on June 16. 
• Within 12 days of its release, Adipurush is nearing the to ₹280 crore mark in domestic markets. 

Criticism for characterisation and VFX work

The teaser of Adipurush was released in October 2022. It drew criticism from the political leaders and general audience alike. While Madhya Pradesh's home minister, Narottam Mishra, blasted the teaser for portraying Hindus incorrectly, the chief priest of the Ayodhya Ram Temple advocated for the prohibition of Adipurush due to its misrepresentation of Lord Ram and Hanuman. 

(Screengrab from teaser of Adipurush. Image: Youtube)

In addition, lawyer Himanshu Srivastava filed a lawsuit against five people, including Om Raut, Prabhas, and Saif Ali Khan, alleging that the movie's teaser had lewd images of Lord Ram, Sita, Hanuman, and Ravana. Furthermore, it was charged with ripping off scenes from popular Hollywood productions like Game of Thrones, Planet of the Apes, The Jungle Book, and others. The clip faced criticism for its poor VFX work causing the makers to push the film's release to June 16. It was initially scheduled to hit theatres on January 12. 

Calls for ban on Adipurush 

Just after the posters and teasers released, lawyer Raj Gaurav petitioned a Delhi court for a permanent ban on the filmmaker Om Raut and producer Bhushan Kumar. He stated that that they had misrepresented the fundamentals of the Ramayana. Several netizens also opined that the movie, starring Prabhas, should be banned because it was "misrepresenting culture".

Censure for public display of affection

Om Raut and Kriti Sanon visited the Lord Venkateswara temple during the promotions of Adipurush. Raut kissed Kriti on the cheek as she got into her car to drive out from the temple grounds. People on the internet, including Ramesh Naidu Nagothu, the BJP State Secretary in Andhra Pradesh, did not appreciate the gesture. 

In a now-deleted tweet, he said, “Is it really necessary to bring your antics to a sacred place? Engaging in public displays of affection, like kissing and hugging in front of the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala is deemed disrespectful and unacceptable."

Flak for colloquial dialogues

Even after the constant criticism, Adipurush managed to have a record breaking opening at the box office. However, the drop in numbers came after the first weekend, when negative word-of-mouth about the dialogues of the film spread on social media. The film faced criticism for Lord Hanuman's dialogues. In response, the makers declared that they would change the dialogues and issue new prints of the film. 

The writer of the film, Manoj Muntashir had a conversation about the issue with Republic Bharat. He said that the movie comprises around 4,500 dialogues, and if people were questioning five of them, then it was his "responsibility to listen to the feedback.” He had further said, “I'm not wallowing in my arrogance, thinking, 'I hold Brahma's pen so whatever I write is what is right.'"

Allahabad High Court issues notice to Adipurush writer

The Allahabad High Court issued a notice to Manoj Muntashir, the dialogue writer of Adipurush, on June 27. The court has also sought clarification from the Centre regarding the possible actions that can be taken under the Cinematograph Act. The next hearing is scheduled for June 28. The decision came after hearing two public interest litigations (PILs), which argued that the film had portrayed religious figures like Lord Rama, Hanuman, and others in an objectionable manner.