Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has publicly criticised the film industry's growing reliance on artificial intelligence, arguing that AI has shifted from being a creative enabler to an industry-wide shortcut that is visibly hurting the quality of cinema. His remarks, posted in a series of messages on X (formerly Twitter) on 26 June, have reignited debate about the role of technology in Bollywood and beyond.

What Gupta Said

In his own words, Gupta wrote: 'I always said AI would matter for filmmaking. I didn't sign up for THIS much of it, used THIS badly. We have full VFX pipelines sitting idle while productions reach for AI slop because it's cheaper than hiring people. This isn't innovation. It's laziness.'

He followed that with a sharper critique of how the industry frames cost-cutting as progress: 'There's a version of AI that makes films better. What we're getting is the version that makes them cheaper — and calling that progress. What started as a useful tool has turned into the industry's favourite shortcut — and it showing and how...'

Conviction vs. Convenience

Gupta drew a pointed contrast using director Aditya Dhar as an example of the alternative. He recounted meeting a crew member from Dhurandar who described Dhar fighting for his creative vision through every stage — pre-production, shoot, and post — without shortcuts. Gupta wrote: 'It was conviction vs. convenience. That's the difference. Filmmaking is not playing 'SHOOTING-SHOOTING'.'

The comparison underscores a broader anxiety among veteran filmmakers: that economic pressure is being used to justify creative compromise, and that the industry is normalising the substitution of craft with computation.

Why the Criticism Lands Now

Gupta's remarks arrive as AI-generated visuals, dialogue assistance, and post-production tools have become increasingly common across Indian and global productions. Critics argue that while AI can accelerate timelines and reduce costs, its unrestricted use displaces skilled VFX artists, editors, and technicians — the same professionals whose work defines a film's visual identity.

Notably, Gupta's concern is not with AI itself. He explicitly acknowledged its potential: 'I always said AI would matter for filmmaking.' His objection is to the manner and motivation of its adoption — speed and cost over craft and quality.

Who Is Sanjay Gupta

Sanjay Gupta is a Mumbai-based filmmaker best known for directing action-thriller and crime films, many of them remakes or adaptations of Hollywood originals. His filmography includes Aatish, Kaante, Karam, Zinda, Shootout at Lokhandwala, Shootout at Wadala, Jazbaa, and Mumbai Saga. He has frequently collaborated with actors Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham.

His voice carries weight in the industry precisely because he has worked extensively with large-scale productions that depend on VFX and technical crews — the segment most directly threatened by uncritical AI adoption.

What Comes Next

The debate over AI in Indian cinema is unlikely to settle soon. As studios weigh budget efficiency against creative integrity, voices like Gupta's represent a growing faction of industry veterans pushing back against the tide. Whether the conversation translates into voluntary industry guidelines or formal regulation remains to be seen.