Vijay Subramaniam on reimagining Mahabharat with AI
In the vibrant world of Indian entertainment, where big dreams are often met with bigger budgets, Vijay Subramaniam, Founder and Group CEO of Collective Artists Network, brings together age-old knowledge and cutting-edge technology. His latest and most ambitious project, ‘Mahabharat Ek Dharmayudha’ONE The AI-powered show, currently streaming on Jio Cinema, is not just a retelling of India’s epic saga. Subramaniam Mahabharat It is a statement of intent. This is about securing India’s rightful place in the global content narrative. An acceptable mythology for the new generation. In an exclusive interview for Mint’s We roll with the bossSubramaniam speaks to LiveMint Deputy Editor Abhishek Singh about the concept, personal life and influences of this epic saga and what we can expect in the coming years.
Watch the full episode below,
The birth of the AI-powered epic
Inspiration for AI-driven Mahabharat It came from a simple but daring comparison. The son of an army officer, Subramaniam has a strong sense of pride in his nation. He was guided by a fundamental vision. “It came from a place of absolute core vision game of Thrones And why can’t we have something of this production quality?” he said. He observed a fundamental disconnect: These lands, with some of the world’s richest folklore, mythology and history, were not receiving the global attention they deserved. He realized that this difference was largely due to exorbitant production costs, where traditional storytelling methods required thousands of millions to achieve the grandeur of a show like BR Chopra’s original Mahabharat.
His mission was clear. He wanted to combine modern technological power with India’s glorious past. “I knew I wasn’t going to have $100 million to pull this off. I had two principles underlying the history verse; Mahabharat is the first cut. I need to make sure that Gen Z and young Millennials fall in love with our culture as much as they do with a Thor, Iron Man, or Avenger. From where? Because I believe that Hanuman gada “It is stronger than Thor’s hammer,” he said.
The result is a visually spectacular spectacle in which the sanctity of the original text, meticulously rendered “as written in the works of Ved Vyas”, is preserved, but the visual narrative is completely transformed. Technology has helped create the biggest spectacle possible, with beautiful battle scenes and flawless scenery. Hastinapur and real-looking costumes and jewelry. All this was achieved in six months and at a fraction of the normal cost (1/100).
The influence of the early years: Music and the army
Subramaniam’s journey to becoming a pioneer in the entertainment industry is rooted in music. A heavy metal head and first-year engineering student, he found his true calling outside the lab and behind a drum kit. His band Signaps even gave him the opportunity to open for lifelong metal legends Iron Maiden after winning the Campus Rock Idols competition. “I think even in the first five days of my life, I would still put it out there,” he said.
However, when the group disbanded, his army-instilled loyalty prevented him from joining another group. Instead of pursuing an engineering career, a path he ‘couldn’t handle’, he seized a new opportunity in the absence of professional, visionary talent representatives in the industry. This led him to the world of sports management; he initially worked for tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi’s Global Sports Management, then founded Quan and eventually led the Collective Artists Network. When asked if he was happy with his decision not to pursue a career as an engineer, he said: “I guess the money is coming in, but I guess I basically tell people that the biggest blessing for me is looking forward to Monday.”
Subramaniam’s personal philosophy is deeply rooted in his upbringing in military cantonments, which taught him the “absurd ideal of loyalty” and the concept of “family by choice, not family by birth.” These principles guide everything he does, from his refusal to play with another band after the breakup of Signaps to his belief that he would never run another label other than Collective. He lives by an “all or nothing” approach, valuing emotional validation above all else.
“I went after the emotional validation of that first,” he said, believing that feeling good about one’s work would naturally lead to social relevance and wealth. This philosophy includes his clear view on prosperity: “Wealth is not just yours” – Collective Artists Network was one of the first in the industry ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plans) that demonstrate commitment to sharing success.
On the business side: Dreaming bigger
According to Subramaniam, the role of a representative goes far beyond coordination. It’s about visionary career building. “If you don’t have a vision for your talent that sometimes exceeds their own dreams, then you’re not an agent,” he said. He believes that it is necessary to build a career over a period of 10-15 years, not for immediate earnings. The most important characteristic he looks for in a potential client is an insatiable appetite for success.
He believes that talent in creative fields is “overrated” unless it is supported by an unwavering will and the infrastructure to carry it forward. He puts forward a compelling theory about the evolving landscape of stardom: “The big will get bigger, the middle will get smaller, and the little will disappear.” He cites artists like Deepika Padukone as an example of an ‘unforgettable’ superstar whose stature and reach are growing.
Bringing the artificial intelligence revolution to life
A pioneer in this new AI-driven creative field, Subramaniam has a clear perspective on the impact of technology, especially in light of the growing debate around jobs and regulations. He sees AI as the latest in a long line of technological disruptions, just as chariots were replaced by automobiles, replaced by Kodak’s replacement by the iPhone. His argument is based on the need for the Indian media industry to move beyond “shallow” stock and valuation metrics by making content faster, cheaper and better. The only way to confirm this triple hypothesis is through technology.
So will artificial intelligence eliminate human jobs? He debunked this fear by talking about his team Mahabharat These included a first-time director from Whistling Woods (Lava), a first-time editor and musical director, a young writers room, and about 50 engineers. “Did I give a job or did I take a job?” he asked.
Technology has given the director the tools to dream and dream bigger. Hastinapur placing a thousand soldiers on the field in a specific or credible way Kurukshetra battlefield. Subramaniam uses AI to create shows from publicly available, open-source IPs Mahabharatshows that the environment has changed, but Subject, remains indispensable, as does the quality of writing and editing.
Mahabharat It is merely an unveiling of a much larger universe. Subramaniam aims to emulate the Marvel model by building an interconnected world. A number of theatrical releases can be expected in the near future.
“In the second half of April, we are coming out with the theatrical release of Hanuman. Then we have Krishna, then we have Shiva, then we are doing three more serials. The idea for me is to build this entire universe in a way that is not just about films. You will do business, you will have toys, you will have all the businesses around it,” he said.
According to Vijay Subramaniam, the future of Indian content is a mix of the old and the futuristic; It’s a testament to his belief that our culture’s stories are more powerful than any Hollywood fantasy, provided they’re told with the visual splendor that this new generation demands.
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