Because as Phuket-based German AI artist Oliver Huber knows, it’s today that production of an unfinished George Lucas meets – Manmohan Desai space opera-Bollywood cult classic started production. As Huber writes, ‘What most people don’t know: In 1974, Indian Bollywood director Rajat Kumar started filming ‘Antriksh Ke Veer’ (Space Heroes). Sadly, the project was shelved due to budget constraints. The script was later sold to an American guy called George for 500 rupees.’ Huber is custodian to iconic images from the never-released cult classic. There’s the Harrison Ford-resembling swashbuckling Hari Solan, captain of the ramshackle space freighter Millennial Fantoosh trying out some inner peace in a loud satsang. Hari’s ‘mardangi moustache’ makes him the bumbling action veer of this film.
There’s Lokesh Saiwalker, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Mark Hamill from Star Wars – wielding, no, not a light sabre, but a cricket bat as he tackles the Dark Side. Darth Gabbar is seen frolicking with the village belles, while Princess Leela – the resemblance to Carrie Fisher is uncanny – is the garrulous, spunky ladki burning up the kitchen in a benarasi in one image, and nursing a hangover by having more daaru in another.
And then there’s everyone’s favourite Wookie, Chewkakka, who takes the spotlight in almost all the item number scenes. Soon enough, Huber comes around and tells me the real deal: these are images he created using AI software.
‘For the images, I used Midjourney V6, which is an exciting tool still in its alpha phase,’ the artist explains from his Thai office. ‘It’s fascinating to see how it’s evolving, particularly in its ability to interpret and execute text prompts. When necessary, I give the images a final touch-up in Photoshop to bring everything together.’
The mash-up of Star Wars and Bollywood is compelling. Which planetary system did that start off ? Huber explains how as a kid in Germany, he was ‘absolutely captivated’ by the Star Wars universe, collecting everything associated with the George Lucas movies — from action figures to the soundtrack on vinyl. ‘My introduction to Bollywood came much later,’ he says. ‘It was like stepping into an entirely new world of storytelling. Friends of mine introduced me to ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’, and I was instantly taken by the vibrant storytelling, which was so different from what I grew up with in Germany.’ That experience sparked a six-week adventure in India, in which he immersed himself in ‘the culture that inspired these films’. In a way, the heady Star Wars-70s Hindi cinema Huber concoction was written in the, well, stars. ‘I’ve always been drawn to movies that break away from the mainstream – the more surreal, the better. Bollywood films definitely fit that bill for me. And let’s not forget my love for the design and vibes of the 70s.’ When creating the ‘Antriksh Ke Veer’ series, Huber wanted to blend all these elements — nostalgia of Star Wars, exuberance of Bollywood, and the retro-aesthetic of the 70s.
‘It was like mixing my favourite childhood memories with my love for cinematic adventures from around the world.’
After moving to Thailand a few years ago, Huber started a business in architectural LED lighting. ‘It was a great experience and taught me a lot about running a business. But I was always on the lookout for ways to feed my creative side. That’s when AI caught my eye.’ The creative possibilities it opened up for him were ‘just mind-blowing’.
His main focus now is ‘Synthography’, a term for AI-generated images that mimic real photographs. He describes it being all about creating moments that blur the line between reality and imagination.
This interest soon turned into a new business venture. Huber now runs a company that specialises in creating custom visuals for small and midsize businesses. “It’s a blend of art and technology that keeps things fresh and exciting.”
He goes into George Lucas mode explaining how the process begins with a basic sketch of the idea — outlining the character, setting, attire, accessories, and even facial expressions. From there, it’s all about finetuning the details. ‘It’s a bit like being a director and a photographer at the same time,’ he says, ‘guiding the AI to capture a scene just as I envision it.’ Who knows? The images from ‘Antriksh Ke Veer’ may get someone from the film industry to put in money and finish the project that was started a long time ago in a dhaba-turned studio far, far away…
