- Four AI-enabled short films unveiled at the IICT Theatre in Mumbai on 7 October 2026
- Films span history, mythology, human emotion and space exploration
- Filmmakers released the films on their YouTube channels at the same time
- Generative media tools offer a 20% productivity boost, a Gen Media India report says
- IICT is India's National Centre of Excellence for AVGC-XR
Four AI-enabled short films were unveiled in Mumbai on 7 October 2026, marking the first output of the Create with AI programme run by the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and YouTube.
Four films, four different stories
The programme was announced in November 2025 to support AI-led creative projects. Its organisers say it is a step towards making India a global leader in AI-led filmmaking.
The films were shown at the IICT Theatre and were released on the filmmakers’ YouTube channels at the same time. They cover history, mythology, human emotion and space exploration.
- Chekavar by Avium Studios is a fictional story set during the Battle of Colachel in 1741.
- CHANAKYA – The Mind of an Empire by Eleventh Door Studio is a historical epic on Chanakya, the philosopher and strategist behind the Mauryan Empire.
- DEVI: The Nine Astras by Kalpanik Films shows the goddess Shakti and her battle to restore cosmic balance.
- Laika by Karthik Kult Kreations follows a dog sent into space and the bond between humans and animals.
Filmmakers stay at the centre
The programme combines Google and YouTube’s AI technologies, IICT’s infrastructure, faculty mentorship and the work of filmmakers. The films show AI works best when the filmmaker still leads the story, according to the organisers.
CEO of IICT Dr. Vishwas Deoskar said India can lead the next phase of AI-led filmmaking. He said the programme gives Indian creative studios access to advanced AI tools and mentorship, so they can experiment and build new workflows.
Managing Director of YouTube India Gunjan Soni said independent creators are now building production houses on their own terms. She said the IICT partnership shows Indian storytelling can meet frontier technology to produce world-class cinema on an independent scale.
Time saved for creators
Senior officers from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting attended the event. They included Director General (West Zone) Smita Vats Sharma, Joint Secretary Senthil Rajan, NFDC Managing Director Prakash Magdum and CBFC CEO Rajendra Singh.
Generative AI removes many production bottlenecks, freeing creators to focus on writing and world-building. A new Gen Media India report by Public First and Google says these tools give creative workers in India a 20% productivity boost. That saves roughly 390 hours a year, or nearly ten full weeks.
About IICT
IICT is India’s National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR). It was set up with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the Government of Maharashtra, FICCI and CII. Its first campus opened at the NFDC Complex in July 2025. A permanent 10-acre campus is being built at Film City, Goregaon. IICT offers 18 courses and has partnerships with global technology and media companies.
