‘Dhurandhar’ Star Saumya Tandon Almost Quit While Training Digital Avatar for AI Film ‘Vispala’

Mumbai: Actor Saumya Tandon, best known for her role in the television show Dhurandhar, has revealed that she nearly walked away from her upcoming AI-driven film ‘Vispala’ due to the intense and unconventional process of training her digital avatar.

Speaking about her experience, Tandon described the project as “emotionally and physically demanding,” stating that working with artificial intelligence technology required her to step far beyond traditional acting methods.

Challenging Digital Transformation

Unlike conventional films, Vispala relies heavily on AI-based character modeling and performance capture. To create a realistic digital version of Tandon, the production team conducted extensive motion-capture sessions, facial mapping scans, and voice replication exercises.

The actor shared that the process involved:

• Long hours in motion-capture suits under studio lights

• Repeated performance recordings to capture micro-expressions

• Multiple voice modulation sessions to train AI systems

• Technical rehearsals with virtual environments instead of physical sets

“At one point, I felt disconnected from myself. Watching a digital version of me perform on screen was surreal and overwhelming,” she reportedly said.

Almost Stepping Away

Tandon admitted that the technological complexity and pressure to deliver precise performances nearly made her quit the film. She explained that unlike regular acting, even the slightest facial twitch or body movement had to be accurately recorded to ensure the AI model functioned seamlessly.

“There were days I questioned whether I was still acting or just feeding data to a machine,” she said, adding that the learning curve was steep and mentally exhausting.

However, encouragement from the film’s creative team and her desire to explore new-age cinema convinced her to continue.

About ‘Vispala’

Vispala is being described as one of India’s early experiments in AI-integrated filmmaking. The project reportedly blends mythology-inspired storytelling with futuristic technology, featuring Tandon in both physical and digital forms.

The film’s creators claim that the AI avatar will enable innovative storytelling techniques, including scenes that would otherwise be impossible to execute

through traditional filming methods.

A New Era of Cinema

Industry experts believe projects like Vispala signal a shift in how films may be produced in the future. AI-powered avatars could potentially reduce production time, create complex visual sequences, and allow actors to perform in digitally constructed worlds.

Despite the challenges, Tandon said the experience ultimately expanded her understanding of performance and technology. “It pushed my limits, but it also opened doors to a new dimension of creativity,” she noted.

The release date of Vispala is yet to be officially announced.