MC INTERVIEW Beyond ChatGPT: Eros' Ridhima Lulla bets on its culture-first AI to rewrite Indian storytelling

Eros recreating Rajinikanth-starrer Kochadaiiyaan.

After five decades of delivering some of the most successful films including Bajirao Mastani, Tumbbad, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, production and distribution company Eros is betting on something far more ambitious: building an artificial intelligence engine rooted not just in code, but in culture.

In conversation with Moneycontrol, Riddhima Lulla, Chief Content Officer at Eros Group and Co-Founder & Co-President at Eros Innovation, outlined the company's creation of “Large Cultural Models” — an AI system trained on 12,000 films and 1.5 trillion data tokens from its own multilingual archive.

At the heart of this push is Eros Universe, a new creator platform designed to democratise filmmaking by giving AI tools and intellectual property access to aspiring creators.

Ridhima Lulla, Chief Content Officer (CCO), Eros Group and Co-Founder of Eros Innovation.

Edited excerpts

What is the difference between the culturally intelligent AI creator platform and the large cultural models (LCM)?

For the past 50 years, Eros has been known as a company that builds studios, produces films and music, and creates entertainment ecosystems. What has always excited us is how we can embrace technology to make our businesses more dynamic and expand our reach.

Over the past few years, we have set up our own AI studio and have been working closely with IIT Madras and leading talent across the country. While the world is focused on large language models (LLMs), which are predictive text-based systems, we felt these models are not deeply rooted in Indian culture—especially in a visual and holistic sense.

So, we developed what we call Large Cultural Models (LCMs). These models are trained entirely on our own data—around 12,000 films and music assets, amounting to approximately 1.5 trillion AI data tokens. Our library spans multiple languages and regions, allowing the model to understand Indian culture in a nuanced and multidimensional way.

The idea is to add a cultural layer on top of AI tools—injecting cultural nuance, emotional depth, character continuity, regional tone alignment, and narrative accuracy. That is what makes it meaningful from a visual and storytelling perspective.

What is the platform you recently launched, and how does it connect with LCM?

The platform, called Eros Universe, is focused on empowering the creative economy. Our goal is to put creativity in the hands of everyone.

Traditionally, filmmaking has been dominated by big studios, actors, and directors. But India has enormous untapped talent that lacks access, tools, and reach. Through this platform, we provide AI-driven creative tools along with access to our IP library. Creators can use our tools and content to build their own projects within our ecosystem.

We recently announced a $5 million prize pool campaign to run through the year. It’s not just about financial incentives—it’s about nurturing talent. The best creators can eventually collaborate with us on films, series, and other productions. We can’t rely on the same creators repeatedly; the industry must evolve.

How does the Large Cultural Model work in practice? What would the workflow look like for filmmakers?

The Large Cultural Model (LCM) is developed under Eros Gen AI, our AI-focused division.

It’s not designed to compete with LLMs. Rather, it acts as a cultural intelligence layer. Filmmakers can use it within our AI pipeline to enhance storytelling and visual execution.

For example, we recently revisited Kochadaiiyaan, directed by Soundarya Rajinikanth and starring Rajinikanth. It was India’s first motion-capture film and ahead of its time, but technology constraints limited its reception. Using our AI tools and models, we are recreating and refreshing it to bring it back to audiences in an improved form.

Our AI pipeline enhances production efficiency, reduces complexity in planning, and allows filmmakers to realize ambitious visual ideas that previously required enormous budgets. It’s not just about cutting costs—it’s about expanding creative possibilities.

Is AI replacing humans in filmmaking?

Not at all. Human emotional intelligence is irreplaceable. AI enhances the workflow but does not eliminate human creativity.

The degree of AI involvement depends on the project. Some content may be nearly 100% AI-generated visually. Others may be 60% AI-driven while retaining significant human creative input. Scriptwriting still requires strong human involvement, though AI is useful for ideation. AI is most powerful in visual execution.

Is there a talent shortage in AI filmmaking?

I wouldn’t fully agree that there is a dearth of talent. There is immense talent in India. The key is willingness to adapt.

We work with both established creators and newcomers. Many established filmmakers are open to learning and adapting to AI tools. The real difference lies in mindset. Technology empowers those who are willing to embrace it.

How does distribution work once creators develop content using your tools?

That’s where Eros Universe plays a crucial role. Creators can distribute and monetize their work within the platform ecosystem. They can also download and share content externally, but the platform provides structured reach and visibility.

We plan to run daily, weekly, and monthly creative challenges to encourage engagement. Outstanding creators could be considered for larger projects—micro dramas, series, films—as directors, technicians, actors, or other creative roles.

How much has Eros invested in developing LCM?

We’ve been incubating this initiative for a while, but I can’t share specific investment figures at this time.

Tell us more about the AI studio in Chennai.

Our AI studio is based in Chennai, where we work closely with IIT Madras. We also collaborate with our Mumbai offices.

Currently, we have about 150 people in the AI studio, and we expect the team to grow significantly over the next 6–12 months.

The team includes AI/Machine Learning (ML) researchers and engineers, computer vision and multimodal AI experts, cultural and film domain specialists, data curators, 3D and graphics engineers, product engineers.

We are focused on blending deep technology talent with creative professionals—because the future lies in the intersection of creativity and technology.

How do you see India’s position in AI filmmaking compared to the US and China?

India has tremendous talent, especially in VFX and digital production. Many global films already rely on Indian talent. AI will only empower this ecosystem further.

We are just scratching the surface. Young creators, in particular, are exciting because they are unburdened by legacy thinking—they dream boldly and want to create.

It’s a booming and exciting time. I’m extremely bullish on this space.