The newly announced AI-made movie Chiranjeevi Hanuman – The Eternal has brought forth a fierce controversy within the Indian movie industry. Directed by Abundantia Entertainment and due for release on Hanuman Jayanti in 2026, the initiative is being advertised as a “Made-in-AI, Made-in-India” movie extravaganza. While some welcomed the announcement, others began strong criticism against the project from many key filmmakers.
Ranveer Singh Supports the Project
Bollywood star Ranveer Singh indicated his backing of the film by posting “Wah ????” on Abundantia’s official announcement status. Interestingly, Singh does not follow the production house account but follows one of the producers of the film, Vijay Subramaniam. The understated endorsement attracted notice, particularly in the wake of rising criticism from the creative fraternity.
Filmmakers Slam AI-Driven Approach
Director Anurag Kashyap heavily criticized the initiative, aiming at Vijay Subramaniam and Collective Artists Network, which has many creative people among its representation. In a scathing Instagram post, Kashyap criticized the shift to AI-produced content as a betrayal of human creators. He blamed Subramaniam for standing for profit above the principles of art and appealed to actors to question or distance themselves from agencies supporting such initiatives.
“Any actor or anybody who calls themselves artists and has a spine will be and should be questioning him or quitting the agency,” Kashyap wrote, insisting that creators are being substituted for “AI performances.”
Industry Divided
Director Vikramaditya Motwane too disapproved, posting, “And so it begins… Who TF needs writers and directors when it’s ‘Made in AI’. The intense reactions are a sign of an increasing worry in the creative community about AI in the making of films.
With the release of Chiranjeevi Hanuman in 2026, controversy regarding AI in film is likely to only get hotter.”.
