Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 17: Everyone’s talking about AI like it’s the future of filmmaking. Billion-dollar startups are already setting up “AI Film Studios,” investors are betting big, and the internet is full of so-called AI creators.
But actor, producer and founder of Prachand Entertainment, Alii Khan, has a very different take: AI in filmmaking is anything but the future.
“Art without the human touch is an algorithm. And algorithms don’t move souls,” Khan says flatly.
Why Audiences Don’t Trust AI
Khan argues that the problem isn’t just technical. It’s emotional.
“The word AI itself makes audiences switch off. It feels fake. It feels cheap. People think: anyone with a laptop can make this, so why should I respect it? The moment you reveal something is AI, credibility drops by more than half, no matter how nice it looks” he explains.
And once the novelty fades, Khan believes AI will lose any serious value. “Soon it’ll be a phone feature. Swipe, flick, generate. Done. When it becomes everyday, it becomes worthless. You can’t build star aura with pixels. The idea of an AI Rajnikant or Salman Khan is laughable. Aura is lived, not generated.”
“So Are You Anti-AI?”
When asked if this makes him anti-AI, Khan laughs. “I’m anti nothing, haha. If it works for the people, great. But the buzzword is becoming a bubble word, and we’re nearing the collapse.”
For Khan, it isn’t about rejecting technology, it’s about balance. “It was important to bring out the value of handmade, authentic, and genuine content. That nobleness is going to become a deciding feature for brands, how they want to position themselves. We are daily users of ChatGPT and other tools just like any other company and we learn the new trends and products in the field, but to use it to completely replace art? That is just lazy.”
He adds a warning about billion-dollar AI hype. “These companies prey on people’s fear that robots will replace them. I just want everyone to remember, your soul is more valuable than code.”
The Flawed Animation Comparison
Some defenders of AI compare it to the rise of animation. Khan isn’t buying it.
“Animation was never meant to replace cinema, it created a new space. It gave us the impossible. But animation was never cheap. Snow White nearly bankrupted Disney, and Pixar films easily cross $150 million. Animation is premium craft, not filler,” he says.
“AI on the other hand doesn’t expand possibilities, it flattens them. It’s about speed and cutting cost. That’s not cinema. That’s disposable content.”
Why Storytelling Still Wins
For Khan, the answer is simple: storytelling is human. Caves around the world are proof.
“A losing character turning into a winner, a person breaking down only to rise again, that’s what audiences connect with. Belief is everything. And AI breaks that belief. Once you know it’s artificial, the magic is gone,” he says.
Yes, AI may find short-term uses in ads and viral clips. But replacing entertainment/cinema? “Far-fetched. Storytelling is messy, emotional, and human. That’s why it lasts.”
Prachand’s Microdrama Revolution
Khan’s words carry weight because Prachand Entertainment has already proven itself as a game-changer.
According to ZeeBiz, it’s “India’s only production house that produces original microdramas”. Earlier this year, The Wire reported that Prachand dropped four original shows in just one month, running on an in-house system that takes projects from script to screen in under 15 days. Their hit show Let Us Live In became India’s first vertical web series, pulling millions of views on Instagram and sparking headlines.
What’s Next for Prachand
And the company isn’t stopping there. Prachand now runs multiple creative verticals under one banner:
- Prachand Scripts – writing and concept development.
- Prachand Pixels – edit and post production
- Prachand Echo – sound design and original scoring.
- Prachand Vivid – colour correction and DI.
Industry insiders also confirm that in 2026, Prachand is set to launch its own VFX division, Prachand Maya, an ambitious step designed to open up “insane creative possibilities” while staying true to Khan’s philosophy:
“The human element must be a priority in every single way. I like it when my workers can eat and sip chai with me.”
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