Writer Manoj Muntashir, who faced heavy backlash for the controversial dialogues in the Prabhas starrer Adipurush, directed by Om Raut, opened up about the emotional toll the criticism took on him. Despite previously asserting that the dialogue mistakes were unintentional and not meant to offend religious sentiments or disrespect Lord Ram and Hanuman, the negative response deeply affected him, even bringing him to tears.
In a recent interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Manoj shared how the experience taught him valuable lessons. “Roya tha main. Ek insaan ke taur pe maine ye samjha ki kuch bhi permanent nahi hai (I cried. As a human, I realized that nothing is permanent),” he said, reflecting on the temporary nature of both success and failure.
“Jo aaj hai, ho sakta hai ye kal na ho, lekin ye bhi seekha ki jo achha hai, woh kal bura bhi ho sakta hai aur woh parso achha bhi ho sakta hai. Toh main ruka nahin hoon, jhuka nahin hoon, main din raat koshish kar raha hoon (What is good today can turn bad tomorrow and then good again. I haven’t stopped or bowed down; I’m working hard day and night),” he added.
‘Adipurush’ writer Manoj Muntashir regrets defending Prabhas’ film amid controversy: ‘Today I understand that mistake’
Manoj also spoke about his perspective on Bollywood, describing the industry as a marketplace driven by profit. “Jab unko fayeda hoga mujhse, toh fir aaenge mere paas, aur aa bhi rahe hain (When they see profit in me, they will come back, and they are already coming back),” he stated.
One of the most criticized elements was the film’s dialogue, written by Manoj Muntashir, which included colloquial language deemed inappropriate for divine characters like Lord Ram, Hanuman, and Ravana. Specific lines spoken by Hanuman, such as ‘Jalegi tere baap ki,’ were met with outrage for their perceived disrespect to Lord Hanuman. This led to protests across the country, with many religious groups and political figures demanding changes to the film. However, Adipurush still managed to earn over Rs 450 crore worldwide with its limited run at the box office.