Manoj Muntashir, also known by his pen name Manoj Shukla, has been making waves on social media due to his involvement in the ‘Adipurush’ controversy. Viewers of the movie have been criticising him for the dialogues used in the film, with some calling them ‘cringe’ or ‘inappropriate’. If you’re curious to learn more about Muntashir, here are some details about him.
Born in Gauriganj, Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, 47-year-old Manoj Muntashir is an Indian lyricist, poet, dialogue writer, and screenwriter. He attended HAL School Korwa during his upbringing. Muntashir is widely recognized for his work as a lyricist, having written songs for numerous Hindi films. Some notable examples include ‘Galliyan’ from ‘Ek Villain,’ ‘Dil Meri Na Sune’ from ‘Genius,’ and ‘Teri Mitti’ from ‘Kesari’.
Apart from his contributions to the music industry, Muntashir has written scripts for shows like ‘India’s Got Talent’ and ‘Indian Idol Junior’. He is known for penning the Hindi dialogues for the blockbuster film ‘Baahubali 2’ and was even commissioned to write Hindi dialogues for the Hollywood movie ‘Black Panther’.
In addition to his creative pursuits, Muntashir has published a book titled ‘Meri Fitrat Hai Mastana’. He has received numerous accolades for his exceptional songwriting, including awards from Radio Mirchi Music Awards, Star Guild Awards, Hungama Surfers Choice Award, and Arab Indo Bollywood Awards. His lyrics have garnered widespread acclaim from listeners worldwide.
Muntashir is married to Neelam Shukla, a homemaker, and the couple has a son named Aaru Shukla.
In 2019, a one-minute video titled ‘Who Are Your Ancestors?’ posted on Twitter stirred controversy. Muntashir made comments suggesting that the country had been influenced by glorifying figures such as Akbar, Humayun, and Jehangir, which drew criticism from Masaan director Neeraj Ghaywan. Ghaywan labeled the lines used in the video as ‘bigotry laced with casteism’ when Muntashir mentioned ‘Choose Your Legacy And Your Heroes!’
Regarding the recent ‘Adipurush’ dialogue controversy, Muntashir responded by explaining that similar language is often employed by storytellers in the country. In order to create a natural tone for the characters, he chose to use such language, highlighting that he is not the first person to write such dialogues.