No AI can replace a filmmaker’s vision: Prasanna Vithanage

Veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage, who has made classics like ‘Akasa Kusum’, ‘Anantha Rathriya’, ‘Ira Madiyama’ and ‘Oba Nathuwa Oba Ekka’ was at the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) as the jury member of the Asian Cinema competition. 

Vithanage, whose recent film ‘Paradise’ was a hit in India, has had a warm relationship with the country over the years. He has collaborated with Indian filmmakers and actors. Veteran editor Sreekar Prasad has also produced some of his films. 

He recalls he is named after the Indian spin bowler Erapalli Prasanna who is from Bengaluru. “My father was a fan of cricket and admired the doyen,” he told Showtime.

In a conversation, he speaks about his experience at BIFFes and the advancement of technology and its effects on cinema.

Excerpts:

How was your experience at the Bengaluru festival? 

The festival was excellent. They had a wonderful collection of films — African cinema, Polish cinema... I was able to see Andrzej Wajda’s classics — which I had watched on VCR and DVD back in the day — on the big screen.

But the festival has some challenges. In India, the festival season begins with IFFI and most Indian filmmakers want to have their film at least in the panorama category if not in the competition. After IFFI comes West Bengal, Kerala, Pune and then Bengaluru. The best of the Indian films have already had their premieres. So it is a challenge for BIFFes to get Indian films exclusively for the festival. It is the same with Asian films as well. But BIFFes excels in the selection of films and the screening facilities. They have carefully curated sections and they have brought the best crop of 2025. 

And as a jury member? 

The decisions were all unanimous, we were all on the same page about the movies. There were no heated arguments and we had a good deliberation. I enjoyed the process.

What is the indie scene like today?

For many indie filmmakers, these are difficult times. In the 70s, 80s and 90s, there was state funding and patronage. Today, everything is being looked at from a commercial perspective. And this is not just in India, but across the world. That is why we need festivals. Otherwise, these films will never get a platform. 

How have films changed over the years? 

Although there are economic challenges, today, making a film is not difficult. They are also shot on iPhone. That freedom has made a big difference.

In the still-male-dominated industry, we’re seeing female intervention. They are bringing personal subjects — questions of identity, of being a woman — which were rarely explored earlier. I’m happy that women filmmakers are in focus at BIFFes this year. 

While filmmaking has become comparatively easier, distribution and release are challenging. Cinema has become a game of numbers. Earlier, people were interested in what a filmmaker was saying — what someone like Fellini was trying to express. Now it’s about how much money a film collects. Even young filmmakers feel the pressure. It is understandable. But the real challenge is how to reach the audience without compromising on expression.

What do you think of OTT platforms?

OTT platforms initially felt like a big opportunity, especially during Covid-19 pandemic. We saw many interesting explorations. But now it’s becoming a factory. Writers work in teams, not always to express an idea, but to keep the viewer hooked. Every five or ten minutes there is a plot point.

It has also made audiences watch films on phones, at home, and while travelling. This has affected cinematography. Use of silence, shadow, and atmosphere to create mood is a thing of the past now. But cinema is a visual medium. In life, we don’t always express everything with words, we communicate through looks, emotions, and pauses. 

How is AI impacting cinema?

I know certain filmmakers in our part of the world who go to ChatGPT with a prompt, ‘Give me a script that will win me an academy award’. It is such a pity. Most OTT platforms are also using AI now, in a big way. But have the scripts become better? Are the films better? Films and series have become more generic. 

But AI is a reality. I’m not saying it has to be completely avoided. Filmmakers can use it for certain things, like understanding character development when working on a screenplay. It can be helpful for young filmmakers to sharpen a synopsis or clarify structure. But ultimately, they have to trust their intuition. The thinking has to come from within. No AI can replace a filmmaker’s vision.

Can cinema still bring social change?

The question for filmmakers today is: Are we able to capture the reality of the world we are living in? If a filmmaker can honestly reflect that reality, if we can hold a mirror to people so that they see themselves, then cinema still has power. So, to answer your question as a filmmaker, the responsibility is whether I am able to do that. My answer is, I always try to.

You have been watching and making films for so long now. What does cinema mean to you today? 

Cinema remains the same for me as it did when I was a schoolboy. The wonder that the images brought, the power of the images and the effect it had on me — it has remained the same. So even after being here for so long, I have not become cynical.