India, Nov. 7 -- Sitting down to watch the first episode of the new series Mahabharat: Ek Dharmayudh felt like artistic betrayal. The idea of creative fields being dominated by artificial intelligence (AI) gives me the creeps, and here was a show that proudly proclaims it is "powered by AI".

In this retelling (helmed by director Lavanya, showrunner Smital Shintre and writers Krishna Omveer Ponia and Savin Shetty), Brahma has been made to look like a version of George Clooney with a Santa Claus beard. Ganga could seamlessly walk off the show and into a present-day jewellery advertisement. Sadly, what she cannot seem to do is blink (something AI characters still struggle with; they simply end up eyes downcast or staring fixedly ahead). AI ...