The first look of Dada landed in controversy almost instantly after its release in July, with many viewers calling out the poster for looking AI-generated. The reaction around Rajkummar Rao’s transformation into Sourav Ganguly quickly overshadowed the launch itself, turning what should have been a milestone reveal for the biopic into an online backlash. Rao has now responded to that criticism and admitted the team moved too fast.
Rajkummar Rao Reacts To The Dada Poster Criticism
Rajkummar addressed the response head-on and made it clear the criticism was taken seriously. He said, “The ones who made it, they learnt the lesson that they shouldn’t have rushed it. Take your time, there’s no hurry. I think the team learnt their lesson. But they also learnt another thing with this, that Dada has a crazy fan following.”
The remark also underlines the pressure around the film, which is being directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and is scheduled to release in theatres on May 14, 2027.
His Strong Take On Ai In Films
The conversation did not stop at the poster. Rajkummar also spoke about the growing presence of artificial intelligence in filmmaking and drew a firm line between technology as an aid and technology replacing human craft.
He said, “Technology has pros and cons. AI will come, you can’t stop it but we should use it as a supporting tool. You can’t be totally dependent on it. And I don’t want that to happen because lakhs of livelihoods can get affected by it. You can’t recreate everything sitting in a room. You can’t replace it with human emotion. I don’t know if AI can replicate that so quickly. Because the AI work that we see, you know that it is AI. It’s not fun. You know it is fake. You can’t be making everything from AI.”
That view adds a sharper layer to the Dada controversy, especially because the debate around the poster has already become part of the film’s early public conversation.
Shooting Inside Sourav Ganguly’s World
Rajkummar also revealed how closely he has been working to understand Ganguly beyond the public image. “I have met him many times. We shot at his house as well. We also shot at Eden Gardens. We were in Kolkata for a while. I spent a lot of time with him, spoke a lot to him,” he said.
He added, “It was very important to know what was happening behind the scenes as well. He was very open about sharing his life with us. He is a legend. He made the Indian team. The team that is renowned today, he laid the foundation for that.”
Rao also indicated that the film will not limit itself to Ganguly’s triumphs, saying it will explore the difficult stretches that shaped him as well. As he put it, “He saw many ups and downs in his career so how he fought those battles, came out of those battles,” pointing to a narrative that will examine both the setbacks and the comeback.
Rajkummar Rao’s Recent And Upcoming Work
The scale of Dada comes at a time when Rajkummar Rao is moving through a particularly visible phase of his career, balancing mainstream successes with character-driven projects. His recent releases include Srikanth, Mr. & Mrs. Mahi and the blockbuster Stree 2, all of which arrived in 2024 and kept him firmly in the spotlight.
Since then, he has also appeared in the Netflix film Toaster, which released on April 15, 2026. Looking ahead, Rao’s confirmed upcoming slate includes Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam, set for theatrical release on October 16, 2026, followed by Dada on May 14, 2027. That line-up places the Ganguly biopic squarely within a period where Rao is taking on larger, high-scrutiny roles while continuing to stretch across genres and formats.
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