As we progress further through the age of AI, it’s definitely worth asking ourselves what impact these emerging technologies are likely to hold on the entertainment industry. From the future of cinema transitioning away from the big screen and more towards home cinema experiences, to the use of virtual and augmented reality to create interactive cinematic stories like ‘choose your own adventures’, we’ve already seen plenty of studios and filmmakers experimenting with the new affordances of streaming platforms, and of course, some AI tools like voice alteration systems or even character generators here and there.
So Hollywood’s already well under way in their digital transformation – but what about Bollywood? With key players like Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn launching his own AI-powered production company, and plenty of Bollywood projects over the past few years shifting their focus towards ‘generative storytelling’, Bollywood is by no means behind the curve when it comes to AI adoption. In fact, you may even say that we’re leading the way.
Here are just a few ways that AI is already revolutionizing the art of film-making across our homegrown Bollywood scene.
AI’s Bollywood Debut: Brahmastra and Beyond
From de-ageing actors to creating crowd scenes without thousands of extras, Bollywood has well and truly already embraced AI, both across production and post-production. The seamless visual effects in movies like Brahmastra show that AI in Bollywood is actually beneficial for enhancing human creativity, not replacing it.
Bollywood is also leveraging AI tools to help with ideation and iteration of film concepts. With the use of an AI video generator, for instance, filmmakers can now instantly transform their pen and paper ideas into fully fleshed cinematic scenes, and clips that they may even look to add to their films.
This was also the case for filmmaker Guhan Senniappan, who sought to create a 2.5-minute animated flashback sequence in Tamil for his film Weapon. Senniappan was able to incorporate AI to generate this animation, saving an estimated six months of production that his film simply didn’t have the budget for.
We could say that these tools are poised to handle time-consuming jobs like editing and rendering complex sequences. And this might just be allowing storytellers to do their magic instead of focusing on technicalities like programming VFX, hand-drawing animations, or even navigating budgetary restrictions.
How AI is changing Storytelling in Bollywood
Video generators powered by AI use machine learning models trained by millions of video clips to understand basic cinematic elements like lighting and movement. With these tools, a filmmaker can now simply input their thoughts and ideas into software, and generative AI algorithms can create outputs that match those prompts or descriptions. The more detail that can be provided by the creator, the more precise the clips generated. In this aspect, prompting generative AI to deliver cinematic outputs is a skillset in and of itself, and the filmmakers of tomorrow can benefit from developing this skillset.
For Bollywood filmmakers, these AI tools can be used across an ever-expanding catalogue of potential applications. Filmmakers can use AI to generate background elements that might otherwise require months of work and extensive CGI, or even to generate AI voiceovers or music for film soundtracks.
This convenience provided by AI also makes it easier for filmmakers to experiment or prototype different ideas, reducing the need for substantial investments (i.e. in technology, studio space, teams, etc.) before committing to a full-scale project.
The Big Debate: How Can We Maintain a Human Element in Cinema?
The argument against AI in entertainment lies in concerns on how we can balance enhancement and replacement. Some people say AI makes filmmaking more accessible, allowing anyone – even those working with low-budget studios – to produce market-ready films.
However, others argue that the use of AI can make films feel derivative and generic, with the widespread adoption of AI by filmmakers putting the industry at risk of losing auteur filmmakers and other authentic voices – like actors and voice actors, but also VFX, graphic artists, and all the many other creative minds needed to create a finished film for the silver screen.
Ultimately, filmmaking is more than just content. There’s emotional depth, culture, and a distinct visual language, which all require human creativity and intuition. So the question becomes how can we maintain those human elements in the future of cinema? The answer lies not in replacement, but in symbiosis. More on this below.
Bridging Tradition and Technology: The Key to Futureproofing Bollywood
While AI can streamline production, balancing innovation with our unique storytelling and filming techniques is the key to protecting the rich legacy of Bollywood both here in India and across the diaspora. Sure, there is excitement about AI’s potential in filmmaking, but professionals do highlight the fact that excessive reliance on AI can be a risk to artistic integrity and creativity that defines Bollywood cinema.
That being said, AI technologies do offer a unique opportunity for up-and-coming Bollywood filmmakers looking to preserve cultural aesthetics while pushing creative boundaries. Building AI skills that are adept enough to maintain this balance could help in adding camera movements that are not quite possible to do in real life, or by adding elements difficult to procure, like fantastical creatures, elaborate set designs, or even capturing a historic location. So the best thing that tomorrow’s generation of Bollywood filmmakers can do is to keep thinking outside the box, and equipping your creator’s toolkit with a wide artillery of skills and software.
Remember too that purpose and intention are important. Filmmakers shouldn’t use AI to delete Bollywood’s rich heritage, but rather to amplify it by purposefully using the technology in a way that enhances stories and makes the impossible possible. One good example of the use of AI could be in a period drama. Let’s assume a 19th-century Lucknow needs to be established – AI could definitely generate authentic clips that represent how the city looked before a certain year with a well-written prompt.
So, can AI be used for enhancement rather than diluting Bollywood films? Happily, the answer here is ultimately yes – but only if Bollywood filmmakers maintain a commitment to using AI to strengthen their narratives, not to cut corners.
The Future for Bollywood: What’s in Store?
To recap, Bollywood is using AI in filmmaking in a range of different ways, including across:
- Production and post-production
- Generating visual effects
- Generative voiceovers, dubbing, and subtitles for films
- Generating animated sequences
- Marketing and promotion
Given the commercial success of Ajay Devgn’s AI venture and other similar Bollywood projects that have used AI for voiceovers, scene inclusions, and even animation generation, it’s safe to say that AI is poised to become quite common in Bollywood filmmaking practices for the future.
AI is also poised to support directors in quickly visualizing and translating their creative thoughts and ideas into detailed images or videos. This instant visualization of ideas makes communication with production teams easier, streamlining the collaborative work needed in filmmaking.
Of course, there’s the matter of remakes as well. With the advancements in AI, it’s not only possible to recreate all the much-loved elements of classic Bollywood films for reboots or remakes, but they might even enhance classic film aesthetics and play a hand in remastering some of our most beloved films from bygone eras. So, as technology is improving, Bollywood can use it as a supportive tool, rather than letting it overshadow human creativity. By accepting AI as a collaborator, filmmakers can possibly preserve what Bollywood cinema is known for.
So, is AI a tool or a threat to Bollywood? AI video generators cannot replace the minds behind films, but they can empower them. Looking forward, Bollywood can redefine entertainment by embracing all the production advantages of AI tools. From storyboarding to song sequences, AI can be a strong partner in immersive storytelling. And it’s definitely a partnership that Bollywood creators will continue to be open to.
