Jio Studios and Collective Artists Network’s Historyverse unveiled the global first teaser of ‘Krishna’, an upcoming theatrical feature directed by Manu Anand, at the NAB Show 2026, positioning it as a step forward in AI-driven cinema.

At the core of ‘Krishna’ is a new cinematic pipeline developed by Galleri5, Collective’s in-house AI platform, built on Microsoft Azure’s advanced AI and cloud infrastructure. The collaboration combines technology with Jio Studios’ scale and storytelling capabilities to create globally relevant Indian content.

The film’s first look, along with the Galleri5 platform, was showcased during Microsoft’s keynote session at NAB titled “Powering Intelligent Media: From AI Experimentation to Real-World Impact.” Collective Artists Network was highlighted as a frontier organisation moving AI beyond experimentation into full-scale production deployment in cinema. The technology was also featured at Microsoft’s exhibition booth at the event.

Unlike traditional VFX-heavy or animation-led filmmaking, ‘Krishna’ is built on an AI-native production pipeline, where technology is embedded across every stage—from world-building and character design to shot creation and final output—while retaining a director-led storytelling approach.

Despite its technological scale, the film places strong emphasis on emotional depth, performance, music, and narrative stillness, aiming to balance spectacle with storytelling authenticity.

Powered by Galleri5’s proprietary workflows, the pipeline enables the creation of large-format theatrical content rooted in Indian history and culture, while expanding how films are conceptualised and produced. The platform runs natively on Microsoft Azure, leveraging advanced AI infrastructure to support end-to-end production workflows across films, series, and advertising.

Speaking on the development, Jyoti Deshpande, President – Jio Studios, said the company continues to focus on taking Indian stories global with scale and authenticity, while embracing future-forward filmmaking technologies. She added that the initiative also aims to make such tools more accessible and cost-effective for creators.

Vijay Subramaniam, Founder and Group CEO of Collective Artists Network, noted that Krishna reflects a larger vision of using technology developed in India to bring culturally rooted stories to global audiences at scale.

From Microsoft’s side, Silvia Candiani highlighted that the media industry is at an inflection point where AI is transitioning from experimentation to real production impact. She said the collaboration demonstrates how AI-native systems can enhance efficiency while keeping human creativity central.

‘Krishna’ is part of Historyverse, a growing slate of mythology and history-driven intellectual properties from Collective Studios. The slate draws inspiration from figures such as Kali, Karna, and Durga, with the previously released ‘Mahabharat: Ek Dharmayudh’ laying the foundation for this broader storytelling universe.

The unveiling at NAB marks a key milestone for both Jio Studios and Collective Artists Network as they continue to explore how emerging technologies can redefine filmmaking, bringing together storytelling, scale, and innovation to shape the future of cinema.