Bollywood reels as AI reshapes films

BOLLYWOOD, famed for its lavish song-and-dance numbers and vast production crews, now finds itself confronting a new kind of spectacle: artificial intelligence.

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From altering iconic endings to generating entire films, AI is shaking up India’s multibillion-dollar film industry, raising alarm for some, excitement for others.

The debate first erupted when producers re-released the 2013 hit Raanjhanaa with an Al-modified finale, when the Hindi film was dubbed into India’s southern language of Tamil.

The new ending changed the tragic death finale into a hopeful one — with the protagonist's eyes seen to flicker open — triggering outrage from director Aanand L Rai and star Dhanush.

They decried the change as a violation of creative rights.

“This alternate ending has stripped the film of its very soul,” Dhanush posted on social media, after the new version was released last month.

“The concerned parties went ahead with it despite my clear objection,” Dhanush said, calling the use of AI to alter films “a deeply concerning precedent for both art and artists”.

“Tt threatens the integrity of storytelling and the legacy of cinema”, he said.

Director Rai said that while Al is “definitely the future... it is not there to change the past”.