KOCHI: A film featuring actor Mammootty as a young man in his 30s may not be a new concept in Mollywood. However, what if the same is achieved entirely using artificial intelligence (AI), without the actor’s physical presence on the set?
This is what sets an upcoming Malayalam movie apart from its predecessors. The film, which requires only four shots of Mammootty, will see the actor taken on a young avatar using AI. Mammotty has approved the use of his AI-generated incarnations for the project, said Unnikrishnan B, film producer and general secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA).
“Mammootty’s approval was obtained by the technicians of an upcoming movie, in which he plays a small role, to use AI to build his character. The actor gave his nod recognising the major role technology will play in films in future,” Unnikrishnan said. He did not reveal anything else about the movie, including who the actors, producer and director are, the budget or the release date.
Still, the use of AI to clone Mammootty’s character, which appears for just three to four minutes in the film, is significant considering that Hollywood is still debating its use to clone actors in films.
There, new norms make obtaining performers’ consent to create their digital replicas mandatory. Even if the performers die, consent is still needed from an authorised representative or the union concerned. Unnikrishnan said the film industry, like any field, is impacted by AI both positively and negatively.
Industry officials said technological advancements can help save time and bring ease of work in the industry in the long run, but professionals must be careful about its disadvantages. “With technology, people look for uniqueness and exclusivity. It can help creative professions evolve. However, we need to be careful about its ethical side,” said Dr Jain Joseph, founder and chairman of Neo School of Films, Kochi.
Technology, along with better-trained technicians, has to be developed to employ AI on a larger scale, Jain said, adding, “In the upcoming project, AI is used for only a few shots to depict a flashback of events that happened around 30 years ago. Currently, live actions may not work with AI. With more advancements and trained technicians, I believe the Malayalam film industry will be able to explore technology more.”