New Delhi: Regional-language OTT platform STAGE is set to release a film on farmer leader and social reformer Sir Chhotu Ram, popularly known as Dada Chhoturam, which the company said will be India's first biopic made using artificial intelligence.
The project marks STAGE's experiment with using AI across the filmmaking process rather than limiting the technology to applications such as dubbing, subtitling or post-production, the company said in a statement.
According to the platform, AI has been used for visualisation, character generation, voice, background score and 3D scene creation to recreate the period and world in which Chhotu Ram lived.
"We believe AI can fundamentally change the economics of filmmaking, especially for stories and cultures that have historically been underserved because conventional production is expensive," STAGE co-founder and CEO Vinay Singhal said.
"Our vision is not to use AI simply to make existing filmmaking faster; it is to rethink how films can be created from the ground up. If technology can make it possible to tell more stories, in more cultures and languages, without compromising the cultural depth of those stories, then AI can become a powerful enabler for the next generation of Indian cinema," he added.
Sir Chhotu Ram, who was born on November 24, 1881, was regarded as a messiah of peasants and was instrumental in empowering farmers in pre-Independence era and getting pro-farmers law enacted. He had fought for farmers' rights during the British rule.
"Dada Chhoturam's story carries the struggles, aspirations and dignity of millions of farmers. We wanted to tell that story in a way that could connect with a new generation while retaining its cultural and historical context," STAGE co-founder and chief content officer Parveen Singhal said.
"AI gave us the creative possibility to recreate a world that would otherwise require very significant production resources. For us, this project is not about technology replacing storytelling; it is about technology expanding what storytellers can attempt," he added.
The project is part of STAGE's broader move towards AI-assisted production. The platform said a growing slate of its titles is being developed using AI production tools, with the aim of reducing production costs and timelines for original content.
The company's AI-led projects include "Daud", "Kailasham", "12vi Wala Pyaar" and "The Last Promise", while its "Jai Hanuman" series is also part of its experimentation with AI-driven digital storytelling.
Founded in 2019 with a focus on Haryanvi content, STAGE has since expanded into Rajasthani, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali and Hindi markets.