'AI could help them...': Anurag Kashyap slams Bollywood's remake trend
What's the story
Recently speaking at the Synapse Conclave, filmmakers Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane weighed in on the increasing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Indian film industry.
Kashyap, known for his candid critiques of mainstream Hindi cinema, lamented Bollywood's obsession with remakes.
He said, "If you're talking about the influence of AI in Hindi cinema—let's be honest, they haven't made anything original in a while... It's mostly remakes."
"And to be fair, AI could probably help them make better copies."
Environmental impact
Kashyap highlighted environmental concerns related to AI adoption
Kashyap also emphasized the environmental cost of the film industry adopting AI.
He recounted an anecdote from the sets of Slumdog Millionaire, where director Danny Boyle employed smaller digital cameras feeding straight to laptops.
"Now think about what it takes to cool down AI servers running nonstop."
"Research suggests every AI prompt consumes about 16 ounces of water... By 2027, the water used just to cool AI servers could match the annual consumption of an entire country like Denmark."
Cinema's future
Motwane dismissed fears about cinema's demise
However, sitting next to Kashyap, Motwane took a more optimistic approach.
He acknowledged the potential of AI but said its effect would be more on audiences than filmmakers.
He also disregarded the claims about the "death of cinema."
"People have been predicting the end of movie theatres since the VHS days. Then came satellite TV, then streaming."
"Every time, cinema adapted. Sure, people might go to theatres less often, but the collective viewing experience will survive," he said.