As Chiranjeevi Hanuman — The Eternal heads toward a 2026 release, director Rajesh Mapuskar addresses deadlines and criticism over its AI-driven approach. Acknowledging resistance from the film fraternity, he says the debate around AI in cinema needs nuance, not fear
A still from the teaser of ‘Chiranjeevi Hanuman – The Eternal’.
With Chiranjeevi Hanuman — The Eternal hurtling towards a theatrical release next year, director Rajesh Mapuskar is navigating both deadlines and debate. The AI-powered film has drawn sharp criticism from filmmakers Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, but Mapuskar insists the conversation around artificial intelligence in cinema needs nuance — not fear.
“There’s pressure of releasing the film next year, and resistance towards AI from the fraternity,” Mapuskar admits. “But there’s also excitement of using a new medium to tell a story.”
Rishab Shetty in ‘Jai Hanuman’
He is quick to clarify that his film was never envisioned as a tech experiment. “It’s not because of the tech that we are doing this. I come from a school of filmmaking where I think about human emotion first,” he says. Inspired by Valmiki’s Ramayana, the film reimagines Lord Hanuman as a self-doubting figure discovering his strength. “My Hanumanji is not somebody who will fly from the word go. He will be reminded of his powers.”
Responding to Kashyap and Motwane’s concerns that AI could threaten artistes’ livelihoods, Mapuskar disagrees.
Rajesh Mapsukar
“I don’t think actors will get replaced by AI. It’s my personal opinion,” he says, pointing out that cinema thrives on lived human connection. “I want to know my actor — where he or she lives, the language they speak. That connection is beyond the film.”
He adds that AI is simply another tool in the filmmaking process. “Like animation, there’s one more thing that has come. I feel this resistance within the industry is slightly ahead of its time.”
“I have a director of photography, production designer, costume designer — everyone on board. It’s the execution part where I’m using AI.”
For Mapuskar, the approach is pragmatic: “Either AI eats you up, or you make it your buddy and move ahead.”
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