Director Says VFX Teams Sit Idle as AI Shortcuts Take Over
Key Points:
- Gupta Calls Rising AI Use in Films a Form of Laziness
- Director Says Trained VFX Crews Are Being Sidelined
- Praises Dhurandar Team for Resisting Creative Shortcuts
MUMBAI – Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has criticised the entertainment industry for leaning on artificial intelligence at the cost of skilled crews and genuine creative effort.
In a set of posts on X, formerly Twitter, the director argued that AI is being treated as a quick fix rather than a genuine creative resource. He suggested that a tool once viewed as a breakthrough has now become a crutch chosen purely for convenience.
Gupta’s remarks raised broader questions about how such reliance on AI could affect originality within filmmaking. According to him, established production methods are increasingly being bypassed in favour of speed and lower costs.
The director, known for helming “Shootout at Wadala,” pointed to trained visual-effects teams as one of the biggest casualties. He said full VFX units were sitting unused while productions opted for AI-generated material instead of hiring proper crews.
In his words, this approach reflects laziness rather than innovation, since cheaper output is being passed off as progress. He added that AI does have the potential to genuinely improve films when used thoughtfully.
However, he said the industry is currently embracing a version of the technology built around cutting costs. Gupta said what began as a useful aid has now turned into a default shortcut that several filmmakers prefer.
He further said that this drift was becoming increasingly visible across recent productions. Moreover, Gupta cited a recent interaction with a crew member from the film “Dhurandar” to make his point.
According to him, that crew member described watching director Aditya Dhar insist on his creative vision throughout pre-production, the shoot, and post-production. He said there were no shortcuts taken at any stage of that film.
For Gupta, the episode illustrated the gap between genuine conviction and mere convenience. He said filmmaking should never be reduced to something resembling a casual exercise.
Gupta’s comments arrive amid a wider, ongoing debate in the film industry over expanding AI usage. Several public figures in other sectors have similarly cautioned that AI works best as an aid rather than a replacement for human judgement. Industry observers have also noted growing concern that automation could affect human-centred roles across creative and professional fields alike.
Besides his recent remarks, Gupta remains best known for directing remakes and adaptations rooted in American action-thriller and crime cinema. His body of work includes “Aatish,” “Kaante,” “Karam,” “Zinda,” “Shootout at Lokhandwala,” “Shootout at Wadala,” “Jazbaa,” and “Mumbai Saga.”
He has frequently worked alongside actors such as Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham across these projects. On the other hand, his latest comments mark a rare instance of him publicly addressing the technological shift reshaping his industry.
(Written with inputs from IANS)
