As Humans in the Loop, which recently became eligible for Oscar consideration for Best Original Screenplay, gears for a theatrical release in New York in December, its director is looking ahead to his next project — another science-themed feature.
Sahay made the pitch for this project — titled Mayapuri (City of Illusions) — on Friday at the Waves Film Bazar in Panaji, organised alongside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Waves Film Bazar is a meeting point for industry stakeholders seeking creative and financial partnerships.
Sahay, who explored how AI clashes with traditional belief systems in Humans in the Loop, said at an open pitch session that his new project was a political narrative set in Delhi. The plot revolves around a young mechanic, who, along with his cat, becomes the victim of a mislabeled nuclear device mistakenly auctioned in a scrapyard, leading his partner to fight rampant corruption.
“I have a scientific temperament and I am drawn to subjects like this,” said Sahay, who graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India in 2019.
Sahay’s earlier film, after travelling to various domestic and international festivals, is now streaming on Netflix. “When I was writing its script, I knew that it’s going to be a good one. But there were many hurdles that I had to deal with during my filmmaking journey,” he told The Indian Express.
Humans in the Loop is a recipient of the Film Independent Sloan Distribution Grant which has backed several feature films that focus on themes of science or technology, such as The Imitation Game, Oppenheimer and Hidden Figures.
However, the Oscar competition in the Original Screenplay category will be tough this time. Movies such as Marty Supreme, Sinners, The Testament of Ann Lee, It Was Just an Accident and Sentimental Value have been tipped as the frontrunners.
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But Sahay is happy that Humans in the Loop has “resonated with the global audience”. He said: “We are trying to do the same that we did in India — showing the film to as many people as possible. Since it is being considered for the Oscar, we want more people to engage with it.”
The Hindi and Kurukh language film, also written by Sahay, follows Nehma (Sonal Madhushankar), an indigenous woman, who finds a job at a centre in Jharkhand that labels data to train AI models. The film reflects “how human prejudices are woven into AI systems”.
Sahay developed the script inspired by the real phenomenon of data labelling carried out in parts of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Telangana. Many AI firms outsource such projects to these centres since labour is cheap.
Even though Humans in the Loop, backed by Kiran Rao, was released in India theatres, Sahay believes there should be dedicated spaces for arthouse film. That would reduce the dependence on multiplex chains. “We need alternative distribution methods and ways to draw patrons. There should be more community screenings. That’s what we did to create awareness and momentum regarding this movie,” says Sahay.
