Tamil cinema icons Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan are collaborating again after 40 years for a movie directed by Nelson. The announcement, made over the weekend, included a promotional video featuring the two stars, director, and music composer Anirudh Ravichander. However, social media discussions quickly moved from enthusiasm about the film to allegations that AI was employed in the promo video. The creators have since dismissed these rumors.
The promotional material featuring Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth was not created using artificial intelligence.
Red Giant Movies, the film's producer, shared a new video on social media to counter claims that AI was involved. The behind-the-scenes clip features Rajinikanth and Kamal on set, filming the promo with Nelson. It reveals how several scenes in the promo were filmed and includes footage of the extras, who were also suspected of being AI, moving around and filming. The video concludes with Rajinikanth and Kamal embracing after their scenes. 'Lights. Camera. Action. A sneak peek into the making of #KHxRK promo,' they captioned the video.
After the video was shared, a fan remarked, 'Those who mentioned AI, go ahead and begin.' Another person commented, questioning, 'Who said the models are AI?' in reference to the extras in the scene. One comment read, 'This is what real hard work, dedication, and commitment look like. AI might be appealing, but reality is always enduring and irreplaceable!' Many others chimed in, addressing those who asserted the promo was created using AI, with comments such as, 'Where is the person who claimed it’s AI?' and 'A moment of silence for the AI enthusiasts.'
Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan come together again after 47 years
Rajinikanth and Kamal have collaborated on several films, with their most recent joint project being the 1979 film Ninaithale Inikkum, directed by K. Balachander. Prior to that, they appeared together in movies like Apoorva Raagangal, Anthuleni Katha, Pathinaru Vayathinile, Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu, among others. Last year, during the release of his movie Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Rajinikanth hinted at a possible reunion.
The previous year, Sundar C was initially set to direct a movie featuring Rajinikanth, produced by Kamal's Raaj Kamal Films International. Subsequently, Cibi Chakaravarthi took over the direction. Fans eagerly anticipated the announcement of the director for the film featuring both stars. After weeks of speculation, it was confirmed that Nelson would direct the project, and a promotional video was released to launch it. Additionally, Rajinikanth is collaborating with Nelson on Jailer 2, which is anticipated to be released this year.