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Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has said artificial intelligence is set to dramatically reduce the cost of making films, opening the industry to a far wider pool of creative voices.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Kapur noted that AI would dismantle long-standing financial barriers that have kept many aspiring directors and writers out of cinema.
“In filmmaking, it will bring a lot of new filmmakers in because the cost of filmmaking is going to come crashing down with AI,” he said, adding that he has already begun integrating AI tools into his own creative process.
A “democratic” force in cinema
Kapur, best known for films such as Masoom, Mr India and Bandit Queen, described AI as a profoundly democratic technology capable of reshaping not only the film industry but the wider economy.
He suggested that AI could add as much as a trillion dollars annually to India’s gross domestic product, calling it a transformative force that reaches “right down the pyramid” to those who need it most.
According to Kapur, the technology can provide access to knowledge and tools that were once limited to elite institutions and well-funded productions. By lowering technical and financial hurdles, he believes AI will allow creative talent to emerge from previously underrepresented communities.
Human intuition remains central
While enthusiastic about AI’s capabilities, Kapur stressed that the technology cannot replicate human intuition. He maintained that creativity and innovation remain uniquely human traits.
“AI can do everything but what it cannot do is be intuitive,” he said, arguing that individuals who may not have had access to formal education can now use AI to supplement their skills and compete on a more equal footing.
In his view, AI should be seen as an enabler rather than a replacement for human imagination, helping storytellers refine and realise their ideas rather than generate them independently.
Summit focuses on people, planet and progress
The remarks came during the five-day India AI Impact Summit 2026, structured around three pillars described as “Sutras”: People, Planet and Progress. The event has brought together policymakers, technology companies, researchers and industry leaders, with organisers positioning it as the first major global AI gathering hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam earlier this week, underlining India’s ambition to develop artificial intelligence solutions aligned with both domestic priorities and global challenges.