The Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA) organized an Open Forum on the theme "Is AI the Future of Creativity?" during the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) on June 16, 2026. The session brought together industry experts including Sanath P.C., Co-founder of Firefly Creative Studio Pvt. Ltd.; Ujwal Nirgudkar, Chairman of SMPTE; lawyer Hetal Desai Soliya; and filmmaker Subodh Menon, Director of Fanboy Pictures, to discuss the opportunities, challenges and implications of AI in filmmaking and content creation.
The panelists examined AI's growing role in the creative ecosystem and its impact on storytelling, production processes, and the future of the film industry. While acknowledging AI's transformative potential, the experts unanimously emphasized that human creativity and emotional intelligence remain central to the art of storytelling. Ujwal Nirgudkar described AI as the next natural stage in filmmaking's technological evolution, highlighting its applications in post-production including sound enhancement, color correction, visual improvements, and film restoration.
Subodh Menon emphasized that while AI can generate content and assist in brainstorming, storytelling remains fundamentally human, describing AI as a valuable tool for idea generation and validation. Sanath P.C. observed that AI can enhance storytelling by improving image quality, sound, and audience experience, noting that creators should explore AI's possibilities while using it as a support tool rather than relying on it completely.
Hetal Desai Soliya addressed legal aspects, stressing the importance of using licensed data and ensuring sufficient human involvement in creative works. She clarified that copyright ownership rests with human creators and advised filmmakers to use AI to enhance, rather than replace, original content. The panel concluded that AI should be viewed as a powerful enabler that complements rather than replaces human creativity, capable of streamlining production processes, enhancing efficiency, and expanding creative possibilities while maintaining human imagination, emotion, and artistic vision at the core of storytelling.
The discussion included audience interaction exploring AI adoption, ethical concerns, copyright protection, and the future of creative professions, concluding with consensus that filmmakers must embrace technological change while ensuring human creativity remains central to the storytelling process.