With increasing focus on and need for production of AI-generated content to scale pipelines and speak to younger audiences, many film industry veterans are exploring partnerships with companies specialising in AI or launching their own ventures.
Actor Ajay Devgn and filmmakers like Ram Madhvani and Shekhar Kapur are among those involved in new artificial intelligence (AI) companies that aim to scale up production across film and OTT content. These would help them build and scale intellectual properties (IPs) while steering clear of the challenges and unpredictability of the theatrical box office and the cluttered streaming space that is seeing cautious investments.
Earlier this year, Devgn launched Prismix, an AI-driven media company specialising in generative AI storytelling. Meanwhile, Kapur has joined AI-powered content company Studio Blo as the chairperson of the Board of AI Ethics & Creative Stewardship. Madhvani, known for films like Neerja, has launched Equinox Virtual, the immersive storytelling division of his company Equinox Films. This division has announced a spiritual, mythological, and cultural universe hosted in the world of virtual reality, with its first short film being an AI adaptation of the Bhagavad Gita.
Key Takeaways
- Leading Indian film veterans are launching or joining AI ventures to scale content production and build valuable intellectual properties, bypassing the volatility of the theatrical box office and the clutter of the streaming market.
- Industry leaders view AI not as a disruptive threat or a mere fad, but as a “creative partner” and the “next tool” in storytelling, capable of democratizing high-quality production, earlier restricted to major Hollywood studios.
- The involvement of established names lends trust and perspective to the new ventures, reassuring creators and audiences that the core intent is to strengthen storytelling and ethical standards, not dilute it.
- The adoption of AI introduces high staffing costs, with skilled prompt engineers currently commanding salaries of ₹10-20 lakh per year, alongside significantly higher rates for top creative leads.
- While talent costs are clear, the industry is preparing for even larger expenditures in the near future related to infrastructure, cloud usage, data storage, and computational power, which could run into crores annually for large-scale AI projects.
“AI is not just a tool but a creative partner that can help filmmakers and brands bring their vision to life in ways never imagined before. Our goal is to revolutionise media by making high-quality, AI-driven content more accessible and scalable,” Devgn had said in a statement to announce the launch of Prismix.
Spending on AI
The shift in filmmaking and storytelling would likely require significant investment extending beyond the technology, as it includes specialised talent. AI is widely used in films to reduce travel and visual effects expenses, resulting in a 30-40% cost reduction, according to studio executives and industry experts.
Manoj Shroff, executive producer at Equinox Films, said, “It’s important to remember that the real cost isn’t just the technology itself but the people as well, both the creative talent who shape ideas and the specialists who know how to prompt and guide AI effectively. Today, skilled prompt engineers can command salaries anywhere between ₹10-20 lakh a year, while rates for top creative leads are significantly higher.”
He noted that the full financial picture is still emerging: “This is just the tip of the iceberg. Over the next 6-12 months, we’ll have better clarity on bigger expenses such as infrastructure, data storage, cloud usage, and the computational power required, all of which could run into crores annually for large-scale projects.”
Amita Madhvani, producer and co-owner of Equinox Films and Ram Madhvani Films, pointed out that what established names bring (to new ventures, including those centred around AI) is trust and perspective. “Having worked across different formats and scales of storytelling, we know how to engage audiences and build IP that has lasting value. AI is simply the next tool in that journey. Instead of looking at it as something disruptive or alien, we see it as a collaborator that can expand what we already do well,” Madhvani said.
She added that the presence of industry veterans in this space reassures both creators and audiences that the intent is to strengthen storytelling rather than dilute it.
Madhvani’s company has 24 short films in development over the next year, with a goal of reaching 100 films by 2028.
Future of storytelling
Dipankar Mukherjee, co-founder, Studio Blo, said traditional filmmakers exploring AI ventures at the moment don’t see it as a fad and haven’t jumped the gun. Instead, they come with a keen sense of technology and an evolved approach to filmmaking. “They realise AI promises exponential evolution in production quality and design and has democratized opportunities, making what was earlier available only to big Hollywood studios, accessible to all,” Mukherjee said, adding that Kapur’s presence has helped the company leap a lot of doors.
Furthermore, industry veterans like Kapur often emphasize the importance of avoiding plagiarism risks. Plus, in the case of names like Devgn, who already owns a VFX firm, this is a natural extension.
Industry experts emphasize that for established names, these AI initiatives run alongside their primary work in cinema and series. These projects demand focus and commitment because makers such as them are well aware that the future of storytelling will be deeply shaped by how they engage with technology today. The attention to AI is the same as given to any creative pursuit—measured, thoughtful, and with a long-term view of how it can add value to their work and to their audiences.
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