Director Ram Gopal Varma recently reflected on his acclaimed film Shiva, discussing its unique characteristics and the creative decisions behind its production. Varma emphasized that the protagonist, Shiva, stood apart due to his strength being rooted in dignity, a portrayal he noted has not been replicated since. He also revealed that much of the film's dialogue was inspired by real-life conversations, often featuring distinctive monosyllabic exchanges. The filmmaker highlighted the significant casting choice of Raghuvaran as the menacing antagonist, Bhavani.
A primary point of discussion centered on the divergent climaxes between the Telugu and Hindi versions of Shiva. Varma explained that while the Telugu rendition concluded with Bhavani murdering Shiva's niece, Keerthi, the Hindi adaptation saw Bhavani kill Asha, played by Amala. Varma stated that in the Hindi version, despite Shiva eliminating Bhavani, the hero experienced an "incredible loss" due to Asha's death. The director admitted that to this day, he remains uncertain which of the two endings was superior.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/ram-gopal-varma-reveals-why-hindi-shiva-ended-sadly-while-telugu-version-had-a-happy-ending-10365802/