'Lal Salaam': AR Rahman Brings Back Legendary Voices To Life Through AI - How Netizens Respond?

For the first time in the Tamil film industry, a late legend's voice has been brought back to life in the upcoming Tamil movie 'Lal Salaam' through Artificial Intelligence (AI).

South Music South, on X, said, "The mesmerizing voices of Bamba Bakya & Shahul Hameed in #ThimiriYezhuda from #LalSalaam made possible by 0@timelessvoicesx AI voice models. 🎼 This marks the first time in the industry that a late legend's voice has been brought back to life."

Music director AR Rahman said that the voices have been generated with permission from the respective families. "We took permission from their families and sent deserving remuneration for using their voice algorithms ..technology is not a threat and a nuisance if we use it right," the two-time Oscar Award winning musician said.

However, the decision to recreate the voices of the legendary singers has met with mixed response. "This sets a dangerous precedent, esp coming from someone like you. And what's with the 'nostalgia' hashtag. If we want nostalgia we would go and listen their existing songs not make some AI assisted stuff," one user said.

Another user said, "The mesmerizing voices of Bamba Bakya & Shahul Hameed in 'Thimiri Yezhuda' from 'Lal Salaam' made possible by @timelessvoicesx AI voice models. 🎼 We took permission from their families and sent deserving remuneration for using their voice algorithms ..technology is not a threat and a nuisance if we use it right...

As a fanboy for three decades now, though appreciating your ready synergy with any futuristic tech and innovations, this feels a tad odd and unconvincing, sir. Most people these days, don't even have much stronger bonds with their families even when they're alive. In that case, how can a posthumous approval from the family stand good, sir?

What if Bamba Bakya or Shahul Hameed just didn't want this and rather wanted to just rest in peace? Also, already the trained professionals singers aren't getting much chances in films as heroes, heroines, directors, their families, are all singing playbacks. Now if we adapt to this specific tech, won't an entire generation of singers go jobless? Feels wrong sir.

After all, in the ecstasy of bringing Bamba Bakya or Shahul Hameed back to life, we might face the risk of never finding another such couple of Godly voices from the common people out there. You are the master. You know better. Yet, just a humble opinion from a nobody like me."

However, the fans have also welcomed the development. "Haters will hate. No matter what. Ignore them and give us updates on thuglife," one user added.

Hailing Rahman's efforts, the second user stated, "Haters will hate. No matter what. Ignore them and give us updates on thuglife."

The upcoming Tamil movie, which has Rajinikanth in the lead, has Vishnu Vishal, Vikranth, Livingston, and others in the cast.