Shekhar Kapur predicts AI will REPLACE film stars: 'I don't need Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan..'

Famous filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has sparked a lot of talk with his recent comments about the future of movies. He said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will soon make traditional film stars a thing of the past. Speaking at WAVES 2025, Kapur boldly claimed he no longer needs legendary actors like Amitabh Bachchan or Shah Rukh Khan for his films. Instead, he plans to create digital actors powered entirely by AI - characters that will not only act but become stars in their own right.
Kapur explained that AI is no longer just helping behind the scenes in film production. It can now create characters that audiences can connect with emotionally. As quoted by Free Press Journal, “AI isn’t just creating visuals but it’s crafting entire personas. I’ll design a character from scratch, copyright it and that virtual personality can become a star. Why should I depend on existing celebrities when I can create my own?”
He also pointed out, "In fact, now it's happening more and more. A lot of the influencers that you see are not humans. AI has created them. So why can't we have films with actors, characters who have become stars because we created them on AI? I don't need Amitabh Bachchan. I'll create my own character. I don't need Shah Rukh Khan, I'll create my own character, my own star. And if I'm good enough, I'll create a character that the audience will love. And then I'll have my own star," he said.
Kapur believes AI could shake up the traditional film industry. According to a report from PTI, he said AI can help independent filmmakers and newcomers who don’t have access to big budgets or famous stars. “This technology offers an opportunity for people at the grassroots level, those who couldn’t even dream of making films with big stars to now create compelling stories with their own characters,” he explained.
Despite his excitement about AI, Kapur also warned against relying too much on technology. He said machines can copy looks and actions, but they lack the soul of storytelling - the emotion, surprise and messiness of being human. “It’s our vulnerability, our sense of wonder and our emotional depth that separates humans from machines,” he said thoughtfully.
Shekhar Kapur, known for classics like Masoom, Mr India, and the acclaimed Elizabeth series, has always been open to new ways of telling stories. His recent Padma Bhushan award shows his lasting influence on world cinema. Now, as he mixes technology with creativity, Kapur seems ready to lead a daring new era in filmmaking.