'You have to learn to evolve with it': Aamir Khan on use of AI in films

Superstar Aamir Khanon Friday said one cannot ignore the fact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is taking the world by storm and believes one should make the best use of the technology.

“We will continue to see new kinds of technology (around us). AI is taking the world by storm, as and when we move forward, we will know what will happen. I’m always behind in terms of technology. My life revolves around stories.

“With technology, there’s no turning back, be it any profession or industry… You cannot curb a new technology. There’s no need to stop it either, you have to learn to evolve with it,” the 58-year-old actor said on day one of ABP Ideas of India Summit 3.0.

Khan’s ex-wife Kiran Rao, who is promoting her upcoming directorial venture, Laapataa Ladies with the superstar across the country, was also part of the session called, ‘Telling Laapataa Tales’.

Rao echoed similar sentiments and said one should make the right use of technology.

“I don’t know what all can actually happen through AI. ChatGPT can help school kids. We know that it can help in writing and editing. There’s a debate about whether it should be allowed in writing (or not). I don’t think you can stop AI, we all are using some form of technology to improve, it depends on how well we can use it,” the filmmaker said.

Produced by Aamir Khan Production and Kindling Productions, Laapataa Ladies is a comic take on two brides in rural India who accidentally get swapped during a train journey.

Khan, who is best known for socially relevant films like Rang De Basanti, and Taare Zameen Par, said he doesn’t pick subjects only when they are issue-based.

“People come to theatres, they look for a majedar story, and then you can say (social message) whatever you wish to through the film, and even if you don’t say anything, that’s also ok. Like, in some of my films such as Delhi Belly, and Ghajini, there’s no social message.

“Sometimes, when I come across a story like Laapataa Ladies, or Taare Zameen Par, and they say something important as well, if I like it, I do it. But I’m not making those films because they are saying something important, I do so because they entertain me, and then I hope other people might also like it,” he added.

The actor also spoke about the failure of his last released film Laal Singh Chaddha (2022). An official remake of Tom Hanks' 1994 feature Forrest Gump, the film was directed by Advait Chandan. Kareena Kapoor Khan played the female lead.

Aamir said he was “emotionally hurt”.

“It’s a film close to my heart. Advait, Kareena, and the whole cast and crew worked hard and it didn’t do well. Two things happened, after a long time my film didn’t work, so family and friends would come home to ask me, ‘If I’m okay?’ I realised that I’m getting a lot of love after a flop. That was the funny side of it. The real side is, failure teaches you what really has gone wrong. It gives you an opportunity to understand what was your mistake in terms of communicating that story.

“I gave it a lot of thought, it was a big learning for me. I remember telling Kiran once, ‘I made so many mistakes in this film on so many levels’ Thank God I made these mistakes in just one film. Emotionally, I’m hurt that the film has not worked, I’ve taken time to absorb the grief,” he said.