At the 12th CII The Big Picture Summit, filmmaker Sudhir Mishra delivered one of the most candid and thought-provoking talks of the event, discussing the rapidly evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in filmmaking. Known for his fearless opinions and deeply human storytelling, Mishra offered both praise and caution—highlighting AI’s potential while warning against the dangers of creative complacency.
Mishra shared his personal experience with the technology, admitting without hesitation:“I have used AI. I think it's a great assistant. It’s a great research tool.” He believes that as AI grows more capable, it may even empower him to create films of a scale that currently only a few filmmakers can attempt. “In the future, maybe it will help me make a film that at the moment only Sanjay Leela Bhansali is allowed to make.”
Drawing parallels between directing a film and coordinating a large-scale military mission, he explained:“There is a managerial aspect to filmmaking. It’s like an army operation. All that—AI is fantastic at.” In his characteristically blunt humour, Mishra also challenged the traditional hierarchy on sets, stating that AI exposes redundancies. “It completely demolishes the fake entity in cinema that is called the ‘first assistant,’ who does nothing. Many people will be out of jobs—and good riddance. You can reduce your cost a lot. You can reduce the unit because it's gone out of proportion.”
For Mishra, one of AI’s biggest strengths lies in pre-visualization. It allows filmmakers to explore ideas before spending crores on sets or shooting.He revealed that he is currently working on an ambitious and expensive film on Mahatma Gandhi, and AI has already changed the way he approaches it.“I’m making a film on Gandhi right now, and it's going to be very expensive. I was doing it unconventionally, but now I can, in a sense, look at it with a DoP. I can see the entire film in a sketch form, like a moving storyboard—a kind of scratch film. The fifth draft of the film is like a scratch film now.”
However, Mishra's praise for AI came with a stern warning.“If you allow AI to govern you, if you become lazy—God help you. It will take over. The moment you stop using your mind, you're finished. You have to control it. You must know what you want.” He stressed that AI should function as a tool, not a replacement for thought. His most powerful critique was directed at corporate decision-makers who believe AI can replace creative professionals. “It is very scary if people sitting in big companies start thinking that they don’t need writers. Because you need writers. AI in writing should be a tool for writers not for MBA graduates.”
Sudhir Mishra’s address ultimately advocated for balance. AI, in his view, is neither the enemy nor the savior of cinema. It is a powerful machine one that can elevate creativity or destroy it, depending on who controls whom.His closing sentiment captured the entire debate in one line: “You can do many things if you’re mindful. But if you stop thinking for yourself, AI will think for you.”