Hanuman Ansh: Ravi Shankar Raises Concern Over Social Media and AI Misuse
Producer says spiritual cinema has a role to play in an increasingly toxic digital environment
The growing misuse of social media and artificial intelligence has become a serious concern for the entertainment industry, particularly as manipulated digital content becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish from genuine material. Producer Y. Ravi Shankar has now spoken about this issue while discussing the upcoming Telugu release of Hanuman Ansh, a spiritual film inspired by the life of Neem Karoli Baba.
Speaking at a press meeting in Hyderabad, Ravi Shankar argued that the current digital environment is creating new challenges for young people. He pointed specifically to the ease with which individuals can attack or target others through social media and the additional complications created by artificial intelligence.
His comments come at a time when AI-generated and manipulated celebrity content has again become a major topic of discussion in the Telugu film industry.
Ravi Shankar's concern over AI-generated content
According to Ravi Shankar, social media has made it extremely easy for people to spread negative or damaging content about others. He believes the problem has become more complicated with the rapid development of AI tools.
One of his key concerns is the difficulty of determining what is authentic and what has been digitally manipulated. AI can now be used to create highly convincing images, audio and videos, making digital misinformation more challenging for ordinary users to identify.
This concern is particularly relevant to the film industry, where actors and other public figures frequently become the subjects of edited or fabricated content.
Recent events have demonstrated how quickly such material can become controversial. An objectionable AI-manipulated video involving Janhvi Kapoor and material from Devara circulated online recently, prompting condemnation from several film personalities. Jr NTR called for stronger action against those responsible, while Janhvi described the misuse of technology without consent as a serious violation.
Why the producer connected the issue with Hanuman Ansh
Ravi Shankar's comments were not simply about technology. He connected the current digital environment with the message he believes Hanuman Ansh offers.
The film is based on the life and teachings associated with spiritual figure Neem Karoli Baba. The Telugu version is being distributed by Mythri Movie Makers' distribution arm and is scheduled for release on October 9.
Ravi Shankar believes a film centred on spirituality and devotion can provide a different kind of message at a time when online interactions can often become aggressive and hostile.
His argument is essentially that entertainment does not always have to focus only on commercial subjects. According to his comments, films with spiritual themes can encourage audiences to think about morality, responsibility and the consequences of their actions.
A film's message beyond box-office numbers
Hanuman Ansh has already attracted attention because of the contrast between its relatively modest production scale and its reported theatrical performance.
Reports have described the film as a sleeper success that grew through audience word of mouth rather than depending entirely on the conventional formula of a major star, enormous production budget or extensive promotional machinery. Its success eventually led to plans to make the film available to Telugu-speaking audiences.
Ravi Shankar highlighted this aspect as well, pointing to the film's commercial performance as evidence that content with a strong emotional and spiritual core can connect with audiences.
For the Telugu version, however, the important test will be whether that connection carries across from its existing audience base to viewers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The film's October 9 release gives Telugu audiences an opportunity to decide whether its themes and storytelling work equally well in this market.
The wider problem of deepfakes and digital trust
The discussion surrounding Hanuman Ansh also reflects a much larger issue facing the entertainment industry.
Social media has made it possible for information to travel almost instantly. At the same time, AI-powered editing and generation tools have lowered the technical barriers to creating convincing fabricated material.
The result is a growing challenge for audiences: seeing something online does not automatically mean that the material is genuine.
For celebrities, the consequences can be particularly serious because fabricated content can spread rapidly before clarification or correction reaches the same audience. The recent controversy involving Janhvi Kapoor is one example of how AI-generated material can trigger wider conversations about consent, privacy and responsible technology use.
For ordinary social-media users, the lesson is equally important. Checking the source, looking for confirmation from credible publications and avoiding immediate sharing of sensational material are increasingly important habits in an AI-driven internet environment.
Can spiritual cinema influence younger audiences?
Ravi Shankar's comments also raise an interesting question about the role of cinema in society.
Films cannot by themselves solve problems created by social media or artificial intelligence. However, movies can influence conversations by presenting particular ideas about morality, responsibility, faith and human behaviour.
That appears to be the broader point behind the producer's support for Hanuman Ansh. He sees the film as more than a commercial release and believes its spiritual themes could be meaningful for audiences living in an increasingly digital environment.
Whether viewers agree with that assessment will ultimately depend on how they respond to the film itself.
Hanuman Ansh heads toward its Telugu release
With Hanuman Ansh scheduled to arrive in Telugu theatres on October 9, attention will now shift toward its reception among Telugu audiences.
The film enters the market with an unusual combination of factors: a spiritual subject, strong word-of-mouth success in its existing theatrical run and a producer publicly linking its message to contemporary concerns surrounding social media and AI.
Ravi Shankar's remarks therefore add another dimension to the film's Telugu release. Beyond its box-office prospects, Hanuman Ansh is being positioned as a film that its distributor believes can encourage audiences to reflect on values and personal responsibility at a time when digital technology is changing how people communicate, consume information and interact with one another.
