Vijay’s 'Jana Nayagan' Faces Flak For AI Use In Trailer: 5 Films Caught In AI Controversies

The use of artificial intelligence in movies continues to be a subject of intense debate. Just weeks after Disney CEO Bob Iger faced backlash after announcing AI-generated content would be allowed on Disney+, Thalapathy Vijay-starrer 'Jana Nayagan' has left fans split over AI use in its trailer.

The movie, set to release on Jan. 9, triggered a controversy after fans spotted Google Gemini’s logo in its trailer. Though the trailer was reportedly updated later and the logo removed, the episode reignited discussions on the increasing use of artificial intelligence in cinema.

'Jana Nayagan', marketed as Vijay’s swang song before his entry into politics, joins a slew of films including 'Raanjhanaa' and 'Vettaiyan' that found themselves under the scanner over their use of AI.

Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor’s hit romantic drama was re-released with an AI-altered climax by Eros International. Last year, the studio had announced the Tamil version of 'Raanjhanaa', titled 'Ambikapathy', would be re-released with an alternate AI-generated ending that changed the film’s tragic climax into a happier one. The decision sparked criticism from both director Aanand L. Rai and Dhanush. 

“The use of AI to alter films or content is a deeply concerning precedent for both art and artistes. It threatens the integrity of storytelling and the legacy of cinema," Dhanush wrote in a statement.

Rajinikanth’s 'Vettaiyan' featured the voice of singer Malaysia Vasudevan, 27 years after his death. The singer’s voice was recreated using AI by composer Anirudh Ravichander. Speaking about the trend of using AI to recreate the voices of famous musicians, the son of famed singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, SP Charan, had slammed the idea behind it, saying that AI may be able to replicate the voice of the singer, but not the emotions that come from listening to the song. 

SP Charan added, "For example, 'Manasilaayo' [from 'Vettaiyan'] can be a great song. No hard feelings toward anybody. It might be a great song. If SPB was alive today and if he had received that opportunity, he could have also said no to the song after listening to it. A singer has the right to choose whether he wants to sing the song or not. By AI, you are not giving the singer the opportunity. It's not right if all the songs can be sung by SPB or Malaysia Vasudevan because of the love you have for them."

The trailer of 'Chiranjeevi Hanuman—The Eternal', an  AI-generated film based on the story of Lord Hanuman, led to a debate about production houses backing artificial intelligence. Anurag Kashyap slammed Vijay Subramaniam, one of the producers, for backing an AI-generated movie while heading an artists' agency. 

Kashyap, in a now-deleted Instagram post, wrote, “End of the day, all these agencies are only interested in making money off you and since they choose turkeys after turkeys for you and you’re not making enough for them, they are going all AI. Any actor or anyone who calls themselves artists and has a spine will be and should be either questioning him or leaving the agency since he has proved that he thinks you’re no match for his AI performance.”

'The Brutalist' was at the centre of debate just a few weeks before the 97th Academy Awards. The controversy started when editor David Jancso revealed that the film used generative AI to make Felicity Jones and Adrien Brody sound more authentic when they spoke Hungarian. 

The blueprints and their completed buildings shown in the movie were also partially generated by AI, Vanity Fair reported. Though 'The Brutalist' faced a lot of criticism for the use of AI, it went on to win three Oscars.

Tom Hanks’ 2024 movie 'Here' was the target of criticism from many, including 'Friends' actor Lisa Kudrow, for using advanced AI to de-age the Forrest Gump actor and Robin Wright. Kudrow slammed Hanks for what she labelled his “endorsement for AI”, arguing that it would lead to “licensing and recycling.” In an episode of the 'Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard' podcast, Kudrow said, “Set that completely aside, what work will there be for human beings? Then what?”

With Vijay’s 'Jana Nayagan' and Disney chief Bob Iger’s recent announcement, the debate around using artificial intelligence in movies has once again erupted, highlighting that it remains a hot button topic.