‘First time in Indian cinema’: No CGI, no human actor, real humanoid robot 'Jia' to feature in Kannada film

Kannada filmmaker Simple Suni’s upcoming film Lambodhar 2.0 is set to feature a real humanoid robot named Jia in a prominent on-screen role. The director has claimed that the film marks the first time in Indian cinema that an actual humanoid robot will play a character.

According to Suni, Jia is neither a computer-generated character nor a robot portrayed by a human actor. The humanoid robot has been developed by Bengaluru-based Machani Robotics and will appear directly in the film alongside the human cast.

Introducing Jia on social media, Suni wrote, “Meet JIA — a humanoid robot developed by Machani Robotics in Bengaluru. For the first time in Indian cinema, a real humanoid robot plays a character on screen in Lambodhara 2.0.”

The filmmaker added, “JIA isn’t CGI. JIA isn’t an actor playing a robot. JIA is the actor, Welcome to the future of Indian cinema.” The announcement was accompanied by a photograph of Jia with members of the film’s cast.

Kunal Kapoor’s Kannada debut

Directed by Simple Suni and produced by Anil Shetty under the banner Mass Productions, Lambodhar 2.0 also marks Bollywood actor Kunal Kapoor’s debut in Kannada cinema. The film stars Anil Shetty, Saachi Bindra, Meghana Gaonkar and Kapoor in key roles.

The project has been described as a science-fiction social thriller, with Jia expected to play a character throughout the story. The filmmaking team used prompts to make the robot perform according to the requirements of different scenes.

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A thriller about Gen Z and the digital age

Lambodhar 2.0 is being described as an AI-driven social thriller exploring Gen Z, social media and technology’s growing influence on everyday life. The film examines artificial intelligence, youth and the constantly evolving digital world. The makers have positioned it as a socially relevant, high-concept thriller aimed at connecting with today’s digitally connected generation.

Shooting completed

The shooting of Lambodhar 2.0 reportedly began in January and was recently completed. However, the makers have not yet announced the film’s theatrical release date.

The inclusion of Jia has already made the project a talking point, particularly because Indian films have traditionally used visual effects, animation or human performers to depict robots. If the makers’ claim is implemented successfully, Lambodhar 2.0 could represent a notable experiment at the intersection of cinema, robotics and artificial intelligence.

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For now, audiences will have to wait for the film’s trailer or promotional material to see how Jia has been integrated into the narrative and how the robot performs in scenes with human actors.