AI's new act

Films and TV series built with AI tools will continue to surface across formats and budgets this year

- SUGANDHA MUKHERJEE

INDIA'S EXPERIMENTS with AI in cinema are no longer confined to test reels or festival showcases.

Films and series built with AI tools are beginning to surface across formats and budgets. Maharaja in Denims, billed as India’s first AI-generated feature, premiered at Cannes. AI-powered projects such as Mahabharat: Ek Dharmayudh are now streaming. In animation, Mahavatar Narsimha, directed by Ashwin Kumar, blends mythology with AI-assisted visuals, music and animation, emerging as a commercial success in 2025. Other projects are in the pipeline: Chiranjeevi Hanuman, an AI-powered film, is slated for release this year, while Naisha, promoted as India’s first feature with entirely AI-generated visuals and virtual leads, released a trailer earlier last year but has since been postponed.