Bobby Deol Says Tech Can’t Replace Honest Performance In ‘Alpha’

MUMBAI-Actor Bobby Deol, who played ruthless operative and trainer Fateh Singh Lakhawat in ‘Alpha,’ has described his digital transformation in the film as a “surreal” experience, saying that while cinema technology has evolved significantly, an actor’s performance and emotional connection with the character remain the most important aspects.

“It was honestly surreal seeing years disappear from my face! I’ve played many different characters over the years, but this was a first for me. As actors, we’re always fascinated by how cinema continues to evolve, and this was one of those moments where you realize how far filmmaking has come. But technology can only do so much — you still have to perform the character truthfully. That was the exciting part for me: trusting the process while making sure the emotions remained completely honest,” Deol said.

‘Alpha’ director Shiv Rawail said the visual effects were intended to serve the story rather than merely provide spectacle.

“From the very beginning, we knew this wasn’t a visual effect that existed for spectacle alone. For me, every creative decision has to serve the story. Hence, it was an important storytelling decision because the audience needed to believe they were seeing the character at a very specific point in his life,” Rawail said.

The transformation was created by Yash Raj Films’ in-house yFX division using artificial intelligence and visual effects.

Sherry Bharda, head of yFX Studios and VFX supervisor, said, “Today’s audiences are incredibly discerning, which means visual effects have to be virtually undetectable. At yFX, for the first time we’ve deployed AI combined with visual effects with this level of fidelity and consistency across an entire sequence, rather than for the odd shot here and there.”

Bharda said the process was challenging because, despite Deol’s long screen career, usable footage of him from the required era with matching lighting and angles was limited, leaving artists with less material to train and work with. (IANS)