Controversy surrounds the upcoming film Adipurush as it faces heavy criticism following the release of its initial teaser. Although the final trailer showed some improvement and raised hopes for a visual spectacle, the movie failed to impress audiences overall. Cinephiles have been particularly vocal in criticising the dialogues attributed to Lord Hanuman and the costumes and set design. Many viewers compare the portrayal of ancient characters in Adipurush unfavourably to Ramanand Sagar’s TV series Ramayan, which was based on the revered text by Saint Valmiki.
In response to the backlash, the makers of Adipurush have changed the controversial dialogues. Gajendra Chauhan and Girija Shankar, who played prominent roles in BR Chopra’s Mahabharat, have also joined the chorus of critics. Gajendra Chauhan expressed his reservations about the film, stating that it did not align with his beliefs and failed to present Lord Ram as he envisions him. He also criticised the dialogue writing, accusing lyricist Manoj Muntashir of copying from different sources and lacking the depth of Rahi Masoom Raza’s work in Mahabharat.
Girija Shankar, known for portraying Duryodhan’s father in Mahabharat, admitted to not seeing Adipurush but expressed dissatisfaction with the snippets, teasers, and trailers he had watched. He felt that the film relied heavily on computer graphics rather than focusing on important content. However, he emphasised that comparing Adipurush to Mahabharat would be unfair, as the latter was a classic production with a highly talented and knowledgeable team who extensively studied Indian culture, heritage, Vedas, and Shastras.
The criticisms surrounding Adipurush highlight the challenge of adapting revered mythological stories for the screen and the high expectations that come with such endeavours.