Mumbai, Jan 9 (PTI) Veteran actor Shabana Azmi and filmmakers Ritesh Batra and Shaunak Sen have come on board the indie drama “Humans in the Loop” as executive producers ahead of its contention for the Best Original Screenplay category at the 98th Academy Awards.
Written and directed by Aranya Sahay and produced by Mathivanan Rajendran, “Humans in the Loop” follows an indigenous woman living in a remote Indian village who is tasked with training artificial intelligence systems.
The story explores the tension between indigenous knowledge systems and modern technology, drawing parallels between nurturing a child and shaping intelligent machines.
Inspired by a news article, the script was developed at a lab hosted by the Museum of Imagined Futures and unfolds across three chapters.
In a statement, “The Lunchbox” director Batra said the film stood out for its emotional sensitivity.
“What moved me about ‘Humans in the Loop’ is its tenderness. It looks at systems and data, but listens closely to the people inside them, their pauses, their compromises, and their need to be seen,” he said.
Azmi described the project as a deeply affecting experience. “It is a beautiful story, told very simply with a heart. It makes you sensitive to what is happening around us in the world and enriches you in many ways,” the veteran actor added.
Sen, the director of Oscar-nominated documentary “All That Breathes”, said the film “stays with the ethical uncertainty of technological progress and the people whose lives are shaped by it, rather than offering easy answers”.
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur also praised the writing, noting that it reminds viewers that “in the pauses between technology and humanity lies the responsibility of choice”.
The film has received wide backing from the film community, with executive producer Bijjo Toppo supporting its early development, Kiran Rao backing its Indian distribution, and Misaq Kazimi leading its US launch.
It is a recipient of the 2025 Film Independent Sloan Distribution Grant, awarded to projects that engage meaningfully with science.
The makers have also partnered with impact advisors Ketki Parikh and Priya Samant to support the film’s outreach in the US, with impact ambassadors including Aroon Shivdasani of the Indo American Arts Council, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, and media entrepreneurs Medha Jaishankar and Sanjay Sharma.
Sahay said he felt honoured that artists who inspired him had connected with the film.
“I feel deeply honoured that artists whose work has inspired me have connected with this film. It began as a short script and gradually evolved into the feature we see today, and that journey has been a labour of love,” he said.
“Humans in the Loop” was made available to Academy members via the Academy Screening Room earlier this year and debuted on Netflix last November. PTI RB RB
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