‘Shanti Nibash’: A Bengali Web Series Created with AI, Driven by Human Stories

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in the creative industries, from advertising to filmmaking. Across the world, creators are exploring the new possibilities offered by the technology. Joining this trend, young Bangladeshi entrepreneur and filmmaker Tanzil Ahmed has produced an AI-driven Bengali web series titled Shanti Nibash.

The series has been produced under the banner of Branta Films, the filmmaking division of Branta Tech, a technology and creative company founded by Tanzil.

Instead of relying on conventional filming methods, the production uses AI-based technologies and digital filmmaking techniques. However, the creators’ aim goes beyond demonstrating the capabilities of technology. Through the story, they seek to portray love, friendship, social relationships, humour and the diverse emotions of everyday life.

Stories of Different People Under One Roof

Shanti Nibash revolves around a fictional residential building. Its story follows the lives, dreams, relationships, misunderstandings, joys and sorrows of people living under the same roof.

The series features stories of love emerging from unexpected encounters, amusing experiences among neighbours and the sense of mutual responsibility that develops within a community.

It also explores the ambitions of young entrepreneurs, the struggles of building startups, efforts to overcome failure and the lifestyles of social media content creators. Blending humour with emotion, the creators aim to portray familiar aspects of everyday life and allow viewers to recognise people from their own surroundings in the characters.

From International Experience to an Independent Venture

Driven by his interest in technology, innovation and creative work, Tanzil Ahmed founded Branta Tech. Through the company, he works on AI-powered advertisements, brand films, digital content, branding and software technology.

According to Tanzil, he previously gained experience working on a collaborative project with a director whose work had been featured on Netflix. The experience encouraged him to reconsider storytelling in cinema, visual planning and the role of technology in creative production.

He subsequently set out to present a full-length narrative under his own direction, working with his company and filmmaking team. Shanti Nibash marks an important step in that journey.

The Challenges of Making a Series with AI

Creating a video lasting a few seconds with AI is different from maintaining consistent characters, scenes and emotions throughout a serialised narrative. This distinction became one of the biggest challenges for Tanzil and his team during the production of Shanti Nibash.

The team had to conduct repeated experiments to maintain character consistency across scenes, preserve continuity in different settings and portray natural human expressions and emotions convincingly. When the results fell short of expectations, they had to revise scenes or recreate them from scratch.

Those involved in the project said the production progressed through extensive planning, research and long nights of work. One of their main objectives was to overcome technological limitations and bring the different elements of the story together in a cohesive production.

Storytelling Takes Priority Over Technology

According to the creators, AI is opening up new possibilities in filmmaking, but it cannot replace storytelling, direction or creative thinking. A visually impressive scene alone does not guarantee that a production will leave a lasting impression on viewers. A relevant narrative, believable characters and an emotional connection with the audience are equally important.

With this in mind, the team treated technology in Shanti Nibash as a means of storytelling. Rather than simply generating visuals, AI serves as an experimental approach to presenting a narrative beyond the boundaries of conventional filmmaking.

Branta Films’ Future Plans

Branta Films was launched to expand Branta Tech’s activities into cinema and entertainment. Its plans include web series, short films, brand films, advertisements and innovative digital entertainment projects.

Tanzil Ahmed aims to build a production environment that harnesses the technical skills and creativity of young Bangladeshis, giving new kinds of stories the opportunity to reach audiences through internationally competitive presentation.

Shanti Nibash is one of the company’s early significant initiatives towards achieving that goal.