Manoj Muntashir Calls ‘Adipurush’ the Biggest Mistake of His Life

When Adipurush hit the screens in June 2023, the buzz was unmistakable – a modern retelling of the ancient Ramayana, a star‑studded cast, and a director, Om Raut, who promised to bring the epic to life in a way never seen before. What followed, however, was a torrent of criticism that still echoes in Hindi‑film circles.

In a candid sit‑down with Times Now, the lyricist‑turned‑screenwriter Manoj Muntashir opened up about the fallout. He said, almost apologetically, that joining the project was “the biggest mistake of my life.” He went further, adding that even trying to defend the film after it was released was “an even bigger mistake.”

“At first I brushed it off,” Muntashir confessed, “but after a couple of days I realised how deep the wound was. I feel ashamed, and I beg the forgiveness of this country for everything that happened.” His words were laced with a mixture of remorse and bewilderment – the kind that often follows a public misstep.

The writer also revisited the part of the controversy that got the most chatter: the film’s dialogues. They were lamp‑lighted on social media, mocked, and dissected frame by frame. Looking back, Muntashir said he is “ashamed that I wrote them” and can’t even recall the exact moment or trip during which those lines were drafted. It’s a rare admission, especially from someone whose career has been built on poetic lyricism.

He didn’t stop at the words. Muntashir expressed disappointment in his own inability to do justice to two of Hinduism’s most revered figures – Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman. While the film tried to blend mythology with cutting‑edge visual effects, many felt the characters were rendered shallow, even caricature‑like. The portrayal of Ravana, played by Saif Ali Khan, and Hanuman, portrayed by Devdatta Nage, sparked endless debates about fidelity to the source material.

Adding a personal layer to the story, Muntashir recalled a conversation with his wife, who warned him against publicly supporting the film. “The trolling started six months before the release,” he said, noting that the scrutiny was not just post‑premiere. He feared, rightly or not, that defending the film would paint him as the face of the negativity surrounding it.

For many fans of the epic, the disappointment was palpable. Prabhas, who took on the role of Raghava (Lord Rama), and Kriti Sanon as Janaki (Sita) were expected to carry the weight of mythic expectations, yet the narrative choices left a large segment of the audience feeling let down.

In hindsight, Muntashir’s reflection serves as a reminder that even seasoned writers can stumble when navigating the thin line between artistic liberty and cultural reverence. He hopes his apology will at least soften the collective memory of the film’s missteps.

Whether this mea culpa will mend the rift with viewers remains to be seen, but the conversation around Adipurush is unlikely to fade away any time soon.