Rajesh Mapsukar, the director who won the Indian National Film Award for “Ventilator” and “Ferrari Ki Sawari,” has been selected to direct “Chiranjeevi Hanuman – The Eternal,” which is said to be one of India’s first feature films made using generative AI technology.
The Hindi project, which chronicles the story of the Hindu god Lord Hanuman, is produced by Vikram Malhotra’s Abundantia Entertainment and Collective Media Network’s Historyverse. The film will be released in theaters around the world in 2026 to coincide with Hanuman Jayanti, the festival celebrating the birth of God.
Director Mapuskar has considerable experience with this project, having worked as an assistant director on Rajkumar Hirani’s blockbuster hits ‘Munnabhai MBBS’, ‘Raazi Raho Munnabhai’ and the box office blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’.
The production is supported by a team of more than 50 engineers at Galleri5, the technology arm of the Collective Artist Network, who collaborate with cultural scholars, literary experts, and writers to ensure the authenticity of the story.
Malhotra, who is also CEO of Abundantia Entertainment, said, “I am a huge fan of Rajesh’s work and have seen how he has masterfully told emotionally deep stories through various films and has captured the hearts of moviegoers across the board.” “Rajesh’s cinematic skills, deep understanding of story, and curiosity to explore new creative paradigms make him the perfect choice to lead a film of this disruptive nature.”
Vijay Subramaniam, Founder and Group CEO of Collective Artist Network, added: “This project redefines how the stories of our cultural heritage are told and experienced. We are excited to push the boundaries of creativity and technology to present a version of Hanuman’s story that resonates across generations and regions.”
Director Mapskar said, “It’s both thrilling and daunting to work on a project that embraces innovation so fearlessly. The story of Lord Hanuman is timeless, full of strength, dedication and purpose, and this is a unique opportunity to helm a film that pays homage to India’s spiritual traditions and pioneers the future of filmmaking.”
As the industry grapples with questions about the role of artificial intelligence in creative production, this project represents an important test case for AI technology in feature film production.
