Rasika Dugal on AI: Producers, Not Scripts, Are the Real Bottleneck

When the conversation turns to artificial intelligence in cinema, most people immediately picture robots cranking out perfect screenplays. Rasika Dugal, however, has a more grounded view. She told ANI that the technology might smooth out the writing process, but it won’t magically conjure the money or the seats needed to bring a film to the big screen.

“Writing might change with the help of AI. However, it is the distribution which becomes the problem,” Dugal said. “I get a lot of scripts every day that have very interesting characters, women at the centre, but they often don’t have producers backing them. Or, if they do, getting a release is an uphill battle.”

The actress, best known for her role as Beena Tripathi in Mirzapur: The Movie, said she is inundated with scripts that push the envelope – especially those that put women front and centre. Yet, time and again, the same story repeats: a promising script, a handful of enthusiastic actors, and then… silence from the financing side.

For Dugal, AI is a “supporting tool,” not a replacement for human intuition. “I’m not so much in favour of the idea of using AI as the main thing. It can help, but you still need to know whether the story will click with audiences,” she explained.

She also admitted she isn’t a heavy user of AI herself. “I don’t use it so much, so I’m not that well‑versed with it, and it keeps changing every day. It’s hard to keep up,” she added, hinting at the fast‑moving nature of the technology.

The timing of her comments is notable. Mirzapur: The Movie hit theatres on September 4, 2026, re‑uniting fans with familiar characters while expanding the franchise’s narrative. The film’s release underscores Dugal’s point: even with a strong brand and a bankable cast, getting a project from script to screen is no small feat.

In a landscape where AI tools are being touted as the next big thing for ideation, dialogue polishing, and even editing, Dugal’s perspective reminds the industry that money, trust, and distribution channels still rule the day. Until producers start betting on stories that challenge the status quo, many scripts – AI‑enhanced or not – may remain stuck on the shelf.