The Potential Impact of AI on Bollywood: Exploring the Effects on the World's Largest Film Industry

Artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to make its mark on the Indian film industry, although the debate around its use is not as widespread as it is in Hollywood. Some creators in the Indian film industry are downplaying the threat of AI, while others believe it should be taken seriously. Director Shekhar Kapur recently experimented with an AI tool called ChatGPT for the sequel to his film Masoom. He was amazed at how the tool understood the moral conflict in the plot and generated a script in seconds. The use of AI in Indian films raises economic and ethical questions, especially as AI tools become more advanced and deepfake videos of Indian stars go viral. While the use of AI in TV and movie productions caused a strike in Hollywood, there has been no structured conversation around its use in India yet. However, with AI tools becoming smarter every second, now is the time to address the subject. India has the largest film industry in the world and employs a significant number of people. Redchillies.vfx, a visual effects studio founded by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, has been using AI tools for ideas, although they feel it is yet to match the resolution of a motion picture. Director Guhan Senniappan is challenging this notion by directing the first Indian feature film to have a sequence made entirely by AI. Despite the potential of AI to simplify and expedite certain aspects of filmmaking, Senniappan admits that he would still prefer a live-action shoot if he had the budget and time. AI lacks the organic nature of human involvement, and while it can democratize the filmmaking process, it cannot replicate the depth of human emotions and experiences.