A new adaptation of the epic Mahabharata is currently streaming on OTT. Mahabharat – Ek Dharmayudh has been created with the help of artificial intelligence with no actors, sets, or physical presence. The controversial show has received criticism for ‘normalising’ the use of AI in creation at a time when most creators are fighting to keep AI out of filmmaking. Now, critics of the show have found a blunder in one of the scenes to point out – the presence of modern-looking furniture in ancient Hastinapur.

Modern bedside table in ancient Hastinapur

The AI Mahabharat is streaming on JioHotstar and has been created by the Collective Media Network. The first episode was released on 25 October, and it focused on the birth of Prince Devvrat (who would later be known as Bheeshma) to Hastinapur’s King Shantanu. One scene shows Goddess Ganga with a young child in a palace room. Eagle-eyed viewers noted that while the rest of the room looked period-accurate with an ornate bed and curtains, a modern-looking bedside table with drawers spoiled the look.

The table, which resembled something very 20th-century, was kept in the background of the scene and was on screen for barely a few seconds. But it was enough to be screengrabbed and shared on the internet for chuckles. “Watching AI Mahabharata on Jio Hotstar.. I’m dying at the bedside desk,” a viewer wrote as they shared the screengrab on Twitter.

Internet can’t stop laughing

In response, one social media user quipped, “Just missing a wireless charger.” Many others who watched the show said that the AI rendition did not feel very real, and that the show had a very off vibe. “My mum was watching it day before and I was beside she was saying “see so perfect they look” then I explained her that an AI mom, she got upset really (last generation to be innocent),” wrote one. Another added, “In one scene, there is a picture (on the bed wall) of a person wearing suit.”

Mahabharat – Ek Dharmayudh follows an episodic release format with a new episode on JioHotstar every Friday. Speaking about the show at its trailer launch last month, Vijay Subramaniam, founder & group CEO of Collective Artists Network, said, “For many of us, the Mahabharat is more than just a story; it’s the tales we grew up hearing from our parents and grandparents, stories that shaped our imagination and values. With AI Mahabharat, we get to experience those same timeless stories in a completely new way, brought to life through the power of modern AI technology.”

So far, two episodes have dropped on the streaming platform.