ADILABAD: The stories of tribal revolutionaries who fought for water, forest and land have often been forgotten, relegated to history books or oral traditions. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing them back to life. In Adilabad, a father-son duo has used the technology to preserve Gond history. While Gondi writer Thodasam Kailash Master wrote the story, his son Thodasam Srujan Ram turned it into a 30-minute visual narrative using AI.
The film, titled JJJ - Jal, Jungle, Jameen (Water, Forest, Land), has emerged as a major attraction for its portrayal of Gond history, language, culture, traditions, rights and environmental conservation. The film has been made in Gondi and Telugu.
Written and scripted by Kailash Master, the film depicts the life and struggle of revolutionary leader Komaram Bheem against the Nizam’s rule and for the Adivasi way of life, including the community’s bond with nature and the traditions and customs observed in Gond villages.
The movie portrays the hardships faced by tribal communities under the Nizam, including restrictions on their rights over land, forests and water and alleged harassment by officials. Against this backdrop, the film highlights the role of Komaram Bheem, who united people and led the struggle for their rights.
Key sequences show the unification of 12 villages in the Jodeghat region, with Bheem travelling from village to village to spread awareness and hold secret meetings.
Kailash Master, who writes on Gondi language, history, literature and culture, developed the story and screenplay. His son Srujan Ram, a computer science engineering student, brought it to life visually using AI.
The duo worked on the project after Srujan returned from college and Kailash Master finished his school duties. Kailash Master initially planned a 10-minute short film, but the story expanded as new ideas emerged. They subsequently incorporated the traditions observed during the month of Shravana in Adivasi hamlets.
Srujan has also been extensively experimenting with AI to compose music, vocals and visuals for his father’s Gondi literary works. He has created more than 70 AI-generated songs so far. His Gondi-language renditions based on the Sundarakanda from the Ramayana have also attracted audiences.
He continues to use AI to transform Gondi literature into songs, narrate stories and create visual representations for songs.
The film, which runs for around 30 minutes, is being showcased on social media platforms, including Instagram and YouTube.
District Collector Rajarshi Shah released the film in his chamber and said students could create many wonders using AI.
