Lyricist and screenwriter Manoj Muntashir has defended his work on the mythological epic Adipurush, telling audiences not to interrogate the film's songs as the debate over how the Ramayana should be portrayed on screen continues to intensify. His remarks, reported on Thursday, come amid renewed scrutiny of the Om Raut-directed film, which was released in June 2023 and has drawn persistent criticism over its dialogue and musical treatment of the sacred text.
Muntashir, who wrote the Hindi dialogue and lyrics for the film, was quoted as saying, "Don't question the songs." He added that the verses were crafted with devotion and that listeners should receive them with the same spirit in which they were written. The lyricist's comments mark his latest effort to address a controversy that has followed the film well past its theatrical run.
Devotional Intent Behind the Verses
According to Muntashir, the songs in Adipurush were conceived as offerings rather than as commercial compositions, and he urged listeners to approach them with reverence. He said the creative team worked with the intention of presenting the epic to a new generation, and that the musical portions were meant to carry that devotional intent rather than invite debate over each line. The lyricist has previously spoken about the pressure of adapting a text so deeply embedded in the cultural and religious life of audiences across the country.
Faith and Filmmaking Collide
The film, produced in Hindi, reimagines the journey of Ayodhya's Prince Raghava, who sets out for the island of Lanka to rescue his wife Janaki after her abduction by Lankesh, the king of Lanka. It arrives on the back of a broader wave of screen adaptations of the Ramayana, and that crowded field has sharpened comparisons. Viewers and commentators have repeatedly measured Adipurush against earlier and contemporary retellings, with much of the discussion centering on language and imagery deemed unsuitable for a devotional subject.
The debate is not confined to the songs. The film's dialogue drew widespread backlash upon release, prompting the makers to revise portions of it, and the question of how far creative licence can stretch when the source is a scripture remains unsettled.
A Star-Studded Retelling
Adipurush, running 179 minutes, stars Prabhas as Raghava, Saif Ali Khan as the antagonist Ravan, known as Lankesh, and Kriti Sanon as Janaki. The ensemble also includes Sunny Singh as Sesh, Devdutta Nage as Bajarang, Vatsal Sheth as Meghanadha, Siddhant Karnick as Vibhishana and Gaurrav Walia as Sugriva. It blends action, adventure and fantasy and was released on June 16, 2023.
A Score That Reflects Divided Opinion
Critical and audience response to the film has been sharply divided, and that polarisation is reflected in its rating of 4.4 out of 10 on TMDb, a tally built from viewer votes. Muntashir's plea to refrain from questioning the songs is unlikely to fully quiet the discourse, given how closely audiences tie such works to their faith. Yet his intervention places the music at the centre of the conversation once more, framing it less as entertainment and more as an act of devotion. For a film whose reception has been shaped as much by sentiment as by craft, that distinction may be the most consequential argument of all.
Source: Filmibeat
