AI Finds a Home in the World’s Biggest Film Industry

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic idea in Indian cinema. It is already part of daily filmmaking, changing how movies are written, visualised, and produced. While Hollywood continues to resist AI due to creative and labour concerns, Indian filmmakers are experimenting with it at a pace that has surprised even industry insiders.

For some, AI has become a practical tool. For others, it raises serious questions about creativity, ethics, and cultural authenticity.

One Filmmaker, One Vision, and an AI-Driven Film

Screenwriter and director Vivek Anchalia struggled to find producers for his next project. Instead of shelving the idea, he turned to AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney and decided to make the film independently.

Midjourney helped him generate visuals, while ChatGPT worked as a creative sounding board. Over a year of steady experimentation, Anchalia refined each scene step by step. He jokes that the AI now understands his creative preferences almost too well.

The result was Naisha, a romantic film built around songs he had written years earlier. Nearly 95% of the 75-minute film was generated using AI, at a budget less than 15% of a traditional Bollywood production. After its trailer release, the AI-created lead character even secured a brand endorsement.

For Anchalia, AI removed the need for studio approval. He sees it as a way for independent filmmakers to tell stories on their own terms.

AI Moves Into Big-Budget Productions

AI is not limited to independent creators. Major filmmakers across India are using it to streamline production.

Malayalam director Jithin Laal relies on AI-based pre-visualisation to design complex scenes before filming begins. By testing visuals early, his team can decide where to invest time and money.

Director Arun Chandu took a similar approach while making his sci-fi satire Gaganachari on a tight budget. Using AI image tools and deep-learning software, he created large-scale sequences that would otherwise have been unaffordable.

Sound designers have also embraced AI. Tools like Soundly and Krotos Reformer now allow rapid sound experimentation without booking expensive studios, making last-minute creative changes far easier than before.

Why India’s AI Embrace Differs From Hollywood

Indian cinema’s openness to AI contrasts sharply with Hollywood’s response. In the United States, actors and writers previously went on strike over fears that AI could replace human labour or reuse creative work without consent.

In India, however, many filmmakers view AI as an enabler rather than a threat. Lower production costs and faster workflows make it especially appealing in a market with multiple languages and regional industries.

Still, the enthusiasm is not universal.

Creativity, Culture, and the Limits of AI

Several directors argue that AI lacks emotional depth and cultural understanding. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has publicly stated that AI cannot genuinely feel love, fear, or mystery.

Concerns grew after a Tamil version of Raanjhanaa was re-released with its tragic ending rewritten by AI, reportedly without the original director’s consent. For critics, this raised red flags about artistic ownership.

AI’s cultural blind spots are also evident. Director Guhan Senniappan notes that AI struggles with hyperlocal references rooted in Indian mythology. Western-trained datasets often fail to capture regional symbolism, forcing filmmakers to rely on human artists for culturally sensitive scenes.

De-Aging Actors and Audience Reactions

AI-powered de-ageing has sparked debate globally, but Indian audiences have often responded positively. When veteran actor Mammootty appeared decades younger in the Malayalam film Rekhachithram, viewers praised the result. The film became one of the year’s biggest box-office successes.

Actor Sathyaraj also supports the technology, saying it allows older performers to continue leading roles in an industry that often prioritises youth.

However, visual effects teams warn that AI outputs still require careful human supervision. Small inaccuracies can push scenes into the “uncanny valley,” where characters look subtly unnatural.

Legal and Ethical Questions Remain Unanswered

India currently lacks comprehensive laws regulating AI’s use in filmmaking. According to media lawyer Anamika Jha, existing protections for voice and likeness do not clearly cover AI-generated imitations.

There are also limited safeguards for film workers whose roles could be replaced by automation. Labour laws have yet to catch up with the speed of technological change.

Some directors take ethical precautions. Filmmaker Srijit Mukherji recreated the voices of deceased Bengali legends only after consulting their families. Even so, legal experts point out that posthumous personality rights are not formally recognised in India.

AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

Despite its flaws, many filmmakers believe AI works best when guided by humans. Projects involving restored classic films or recreated performances still require extensive human review to avoid distorting artistic intent.

Arun Chandu now teaches AI in cinema at the university level, asking students to compare AI-assisted films with traditionally made ones. His goal is not blind adoption, but informed use.

For Mukherji, the message is simple: AI should be mastered, not feared. It can support creativity, but it cannot replace human judgment, memory, or emotion.

The Road Ahead for AI in Indian Cinema

AI in Indian cinema is neither a miracle solution nor a creative threat by default. It is a powerful tool that reflects the choices of the people using it. As technology advances faster than regulation, filmmakers face a clear challenge: balance efficiency with ethics, and innovation with cultural integrity.

Whether AI becomes a lasting creative partner will depend on how responsibly the industry chooses to use it.