Manoj Muntashir Reflects on Regrets Over Adipurush's Dialogues

Three years have passed since the controversial release of 'Adipurush,' yet the film continues to haunt its writer, Manoj Muntashir. In a recent episode of the podcast 'Baatein Dil Se,' hosted by Navika Kumar, Muntashir opened up about his feelings of regret regarding the film, which was inspired by the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana. He expressed that, in retrospect, he should have heeded the advice of his wife, Neelam Muntashir, who cautioned him against defending the film publicly. Muntashir admitted to feeling a deep sense of shame for his involvement in crafting the dialogues for the film, ultimately labeling it as the most significant mistake of his life. He revealed that Neelam had always been apprehensive about his role in representing 'Adipurush,' and her concerns became more pronounced as the film's release approached. As the film faced mounting criticism and trolling from audiences, Muntashir recalled his wife's warning: 'You will not be the face of the film.' Despite only being responsible for the songs and dialogues, he regretted not listening to her advice.

The film's disappointing performance at the box office and its rejection by the public left Muntashir grappling with his decisions. Initially, he was somewhat dismissive of the backlash, but it took him a couple of days to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. Muntashir candidly stated, 'Adipurush was the biggest mistake of my life, and defending that film was an even bigger mistake.' He expressed profound shame over the events surrounding the film and sought forgiveness from the nation for the fallout. Muntashir lamented that he failed to do justice to the character of Lord Rama in the film, a realization that struck him only after the fact. He acknowledged that he had not grasped the implications of his work at the time, but now feels a deep sense of remorse for being part of a project that did not meet the expectations of its audience.