Festival and celebrations

IIE Digital Desk :  Mahalaya morning has been defined by the stirring voice of Birendra Krishna Bhadra reciting the Chandipath, and the classic Mahishashurmardini broadcast across radio and television. This year, audiences will witness a modern reinterpretation of that tradition, as director Sourav Das and producer Soumi Datta Roy present Shakti, an AI-generated short film that seeks to merge mythology with technology.

The 30-minute film, scheduled for release at 5 a.m. on September 21 on the YouTube channel SDCU Films, is being hailed as an experimental project that combines artificial intelligence, visual effects, and cultural storytelling. Director Sourav Das, known for his earlier science fiction film Kohinoor, describes the project as a step toward reimagining India’s own mythological narratives with the same technological grandeur often associated with Hollywood productions.

“We have grown up watching Marvel movies, but our culture and stories are equally rich. I wanted to see how AI and VFX can be used to make them larger-than-life on screen,” Das explained. “Shakti is not just about Durga defeating Mahishasura. It is about the immense power of Durga and how that represents women’s empowerment.”The film employs artificial intelligence to recreate the faces of its divine characters, blending human features with digital artistry. Actor Adwitiya Mukherjee’s face has been used as the base model for Goddess Durga, with the final imagery created through a combination of AI rendering, VFX, and extensive editing work. Das collaborated with Moubani Dalui on the technical execution of the project.

The teaser, already released online, has generated curiosity for its unique approach. While the project is limited in scope, Das views it as the beginning of a larger creative journey. “This is a trial run. If audiences accept it, we plan to expand the concept further in the future with more characters and a bigger storyline,” he said.Shakti comes at a time when AI-generated art and storytelling are gaining traction across the world, often sparking debate about the future of creativity. For Das, however, the goal remains simple—to honour tradition while exploring new mediums of expression. “Durga’s story is timeless. Technology only helps us retell it in a fresh way for today’s audience,” he said.