'Ashamed of it...': Manoj Muntashir calls Adipurush his biggest mistake, seeks country's forgiveness 

Lyricist and dialogue writer Manoj Muntashir has publicly expressed deep regret over his involvement in the 2023 mythological epic Adipurush, labeling the film and his subsequent defense of it as the single biggest mistake of his career. 

Speaking on a recent podcast episode, Muntashir reflected on the overwhelming public backlash that followed the film's release. Directed by Om Raut and starring Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, and Saif Ali Khan, the ₹600 crore production aimed to bring the Ramayana to life on a grand cinematic scale. Instead, it drew heavy criticism for its visual effects, character portrayals, and modern, colloquial dialogue choices. 

Muntashir recalled that warning signs appeared months before the film hit theaters. His wife had advised him against publicly defending the project, fearing he would absorb the brunt of public outrage. While he was initially dismissive of the early criticism, he now admits he regrets not taking her advice sooner. 

"In the beginning, I was a bit dismissive," Muntashir admitted. "It took me two days to understand. Adipurush was the biggest mistake of my life, and defending that film was an even bigger mistake. Whatever happened around the film, I'm very ashamed of it, and I beg the forgiveness of this country for all that had happened." 

He acknowledged that the dialogue failed to meet audience expectations and expressed disappointment in failing to do justice to sacred figures such as Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman. Reflecting on the controversial lines that sparked widespread outrage across the country, he stated, "Now, when I look back, I am ashamed that I wrote them. I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote them." 

While maintaining that some of his previous comments were taken out of context, Muntashir accepted full responsibility for the writing, noting that public criticism was justified and that "the country does not forgive arrogance."