Ram Gopal Varma calls AI filmmaking tool 'asteroid' for industry
What's the story
Director Ram Gopal Varma has sparked a new debate on the future of cinema with his latest remarks on AI tool Seedance 2.0. In a post on Wednesday, he called the advanced AI filmmaking tools a potential threat to the traditional structure of the movie business. He also claimed it to be a force of liberation for filmmakers who have been denied opportunities due to various reasons.
Unequal access
Varma's take on funding disparities in industry
Varma wrote, "SEEDANCE 2.0 , the MURDERER of FILM INDUSTRY (sic)." "(SS Rajamouli) is the no. 1 director because he makes the most expensive films and the most successful ..People fund him." "In a country of some 120 crore people, who knows how many more Rajamoulis or even better than him are there in small towns." "People who have creative vision, but who will never get access to neither the film industry nor funds to put their vision on screen."
Twitter Post
See Varma's post here
SEEDANCE 2.0 , the MURDERER of FILM INDUSTRY
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) February 25, 2026
Leaving aside its copyright infringements etc which is another matter , here’s my take on Seedance 2.0
@ssrajsmouli is the no. 1 director because he makes the most expensive films and the most successful ..People fund him a 1000…
Praise for AI
'True democracy in motion'
Varma claimed, "Now Seedance 2.0 just kicked that gate down and set it on fire." "This can take just their descriptive prompts and create a cinematic...devastatingly impactful scenes that look like they cost 100s of crores." "Suddenly, a creative guy in Gorakhpur or Coimbatore...can just write a scene and the likes of Seedance makes it for him and that is true democracy in motion."
Job elimination
'Moment advanced versions of AI can generate full-length films...'
Varma went a step further and predicted that advanced AI could eliminate the need for technicians, actors, production teams, and even large budgets. "No more star issues. No more producers panicking over budgets. No more 300 people standing around waiting for one shot." "Just one person. One prompt. One mind." "The moment advanced versions of AI can generate full-length films...arrogance will die." "Not slowly. Not peacefully. It will get murdered brutally, but...this is actually the liberation of cinema."
Inevitable evolution
'The dinosaurs had their 100-year reign'
Varma likened the evolution of filmmaking tools to an asteroid striking dinosaurs. "The dinosaurs had their 100-year reign. Now the asteroid has arrived. And its name is AI." "Welcome to the new era. Where only talent matters more than access." He concluded by asking whether this marks the death of the film industry or its ultimate democratization.