Use of AI to change Bollywood hit’s tragic ending sparks debate
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A release poster for Ambikapathy. The film, which was originally released in 2013, has been re-released with a new AI-edited ending.
PHOTO: UPSWINGENTERTAINMENTPVTLTD/INSTAGRAM
- AI was used to create a new Tamil version of the film Ambikapathy, altering the original ending where the main character dies.
- The director, lead actor Dhanush, and screenwriter object to this change. Dhanush said it "stripped the film of its very soul".
- Copyright laws need updating to protect creatives from AI changes. Some actors are adding clauses to contracts to prevent AI manipulation.
AI generated
NEW DELHI – An obsessive lover dies mourning his unrequited love – this has been the cornerstone of Raanjhanaa, a 2013 Bollywood hit that remains popular for its tragic rendition of an all-consuming love, shaping on-screen memories for an entire generation of Indian filmgoers.
The Hindi film was also released in Tamil as Ambikapathy that year. But in a new Tamil version of the film, the hero lives on, thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) that was used to change the movie’s ending.