Vinayan REVEALS the Yakshi-to-cat scene in 'Aakasha Ganga' cost Rs 12,000 per second; 'AI actors will outperform humans,' says the director

Filmmaker Vinayan has opened up about the massive technological challenges he faced while introducing advanced visual effects to Malayalam cinema several decades ago.Speaking at the teaser launch of 'Manikandan: The Last Avatar,' touted as Malayalam’s first AI-driven film, the director recalled the staggering cost of VFX during the late 90s and early 2000s. Vinayan revealed that the iconic morphing sequence in 'Aakasha Ganga' (1999), where the yakshi transforms into a cat, came with an extraordinary price tag. “One second of that morphing cost Rs 12,000,” Vinayan said, calling it a huge risk at the time.Vinayan believed in pushing boundaries to make the horror movie visually impressive for the viewers, despite the budget constraints.Vinayan also opened up about the criticism when he digitally recreated the Big M's in his film 'Boyy Friennd' for a song sequence.In his film starring Manikuttan in the lead, CGI versions of Mohanlal and Mammootty appeared on screen. According to Vinayan, this move was not welcomed by several industry members. “It became a big issue. I was banned for one or two years because of it,” he revealed.The director explained that technological advancements have drastically altered what is possible today. Effects that once required months of effort can now be achieved with AI in a matter of hours. “If we give a child’s photo and Jagathy Sreekumar’s photo, we can make him perform any dance now,” he said, comparing the difficulty of scenes he created for Athishayan with modern capabilities.Vinayan predicted that the coming era of AI will reshape filmmaking and acting. He believes that virtual actors can soon deliver expressions and performances beyond even the finest stars. “Nobody can show off anymore. The future belongs to technicians. It’s the age of AI,” he asserted.On the work front, Vinayan's previous film was 'Pathonpatham Noottandu'.