Vikram Bhatt defends AI use in 'Haunted 3D'
What's the story
Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt has defended the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in his latest film, Haunted 3D: Echoes Of The Past. The movie has been criticized for its heavy reliance on AI, with many arguing that it has compromised the quality of storytelling. In response to this backlash, Bhatt told News18, "The funny thing is that a lot of people have taken real locations in the film as AI."
Bhatt's defense
Bhatt explained his decision to use AI
Bhatt further defended his decision to use AI, stating, "Fine, let's just say we used AI. Are you coming to see a film and enjoy the story, or do you think this is Nat Geo and you're coming to see real locations?" "I couldn't have made a big film on the budget I had, so I used AI. The people who're going to see the film are liking it."
Film's uniqueness
'So what if my ghosts were AI?'
Bhatt also had a cheeky response to critics who said that the ghosts in his film were AI-generated. "So what if my film has AI? Either you want to see the film, or you don't. Some people said yeh bhoot toh AI hai. Arrey, main kahaan se real bhoot laau?" He added, "Bhoot toh AI, special effects, CGI ya prosthetics se hi bana hoga na." The film earned ₹2.5cr on its first day and is inching toward ₹20cr globally.
Hollywood comparison
Bhatt compares 'Haunted 3D' with 'Avatar,' 'Star Wars'
Bhatt also drew a comparison between Haunted 3D and Hollywood films like Avatar and Star Wars, which have used CGI extensively. He said, "Why did Star Wars become a hit? It was shot in space. You can't say that arrey, yeh space toh nakli hai, aisa koi planet nahi hai." "Haunted 3D is about the world of Maniktala. I had to create a separate world, and that's why I used AI."
Box office performance
Box office collection of 'Haunted 3D'
Despite the criticism, Haunted 3D: Echoes Of The Past has performed well at the box office. The film has earned ₹15.9 crore net in India so far, outperforming Main Vaapas Aaunga and Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata. Lead actor Mimoh Chakraborty previously clarified that AI was only used in scenes where they weren't getting the desired result, emphasizing that it wasn't a completely AI-made film.