Feb 04, 2026 1:17pm IST
Naagin 7: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary-Namik Paul’s show reigns with budget-friendly AI, Chetan Hansraj reveals
Naagin 7 is turning out to be as successful as the first season of Ekta Kapoor's snake maiden franchise. After quite some time, we have a show that is ruling the roost on TRP charts as well as on OTT. One of the highlights of Naagin 7 has been the use of AI. Over the years, the VFX aspect of the Naagin franchise has been severely panned by audiences. However, this season it is different. Ekta Kapoor and her team have scaled up the revenge drama by making Anantkul Naagin (Queen of the Infinite Clan) played by Priyanka Chahar Choudhary fight the invincible dragon.
The arch nemesis is generated completely through AI. When the first teaser was unveiled, fans said the series reminded them of Stranger Things and Netflix Korea's Gyeongseong Creature.
Chetan Hansraj, who heads AI and VFX at Balaji Telefilms Ltd, reveals how they managed to generate eye-catching visuals at a nominal cost for Naagin 7. He discloses, "AI has made it more budget-friendly. If we had done these visuals with normal VFX, the cost would have been around ₹ 40 - 50 lakh per episode. With the use of AI, the cost has come down by 80 percent. It is economical and we can plan larger sequences on the show." The AI team has around seven to 10 people. TV producer Ekta Kapoor is fully involved and oversees what the AI team has done for every weekend's episode. He further says that AI allows them to explore ideas more freely. "We can see constant improvement. AI upgrades itself every month, and we can see the difference. It is getting better by the day," he states.
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The audience response to the use of AI in Naagin 7 has also been encouraging according to Hansraj. "Many people told us they do not realize it is AI. The trick is to make it blend seamlessly and we're doing our best. Of course, the dragon looks AI-generated! We are very happy with how the use of this technology has turned out in Naagin 7," he adds. However, he maintains that the Naagin franchise succeeds because of its story that is packed with melodrama, romance, revenge and endless plot twists. "AI just adds to the story," he asserts.
Naagin 7 stars Priyanka Chahar Choudhary, Namik Paul, Alice Kaushik, Eisha Singh, Karan Kundrra in prominent roles. It airs on Colors TV and JioHotstar every weekend.
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