Irinjalakuda: Marking a new visual language and technological leap in the history of Malayalam cinema, a fully AI-generated film titled 'Vagdatha Bhoomi' is set for release soon.
The film is being introduced as India's first "AI arthouse" movie.
Not a single scene was shot using a camera. Instead, the entire 72-minute film was created using various AI platforms on computers. Technologies such as Google's Veo 3, Higgsfield, OpenArt, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, ElevenLabs and Seedance 2 were used to complete the project. Real human faces were used as AI references for the characters' expressions.
The faces of characters were modelled on individuals including Shaju Valappan, Dr. Anashwara, Suresh Nellikkode, Noel, Jose Mampilly, Naseema Araykkal, Rasheed Mohammed, Siddique Kakku, Shahna Teacher, Praseen K. Ponath, Noushad Saga, Bakkar Madavana and Siddique Paravoor.
The screenplay and direction are by Siddique Paravoor, who has earned recognition at national and international film festivals. The producer is expatriate businessman and filmmaker Shaju Valappan, who previously won the State Film Critics Award for Best Debut Director for the film Nizhal Vyaparikal.
Ihlas Rahman is the associate director. The technical work for the film was completed at Chandrabose Bose Band Studio in Kodungallur.
Though entirely AI-generated, 'Vagdatha Bhoomi' tells a deeply human story centred on relationships and the lives of farmers. Producer Shaju Valappan said the film will first be screened at film festivals before its theatrical release.