Artificial Intelligence and Surrogacy: A Cinematic Study of Filhaal and Mimi

Abstract

Meghna Gulzar’s directorial debut movie, Filhaal (2002 was critically well-received, and Sushmita Sen, who performed the role of Sia, was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. It can be considered an offbeat movie that openly supported artificial intelligence through the system of surrogacy, where a friend, Sia, rents her womb to her married friend Rewa, who, after a miscarriage, is unable to carry a baby. In this journey, Rewa develops insecurities, and Sia experiences mood swings during pregnancy; when these emotions collide, their friendship reaches a breaking point. Another film in this category is Mimi (2021), directed by Laxman Utekar. The protagonist, Mimi, played by Kriti Sanon, won the IIFA and Filmfare awards for best actress. She becomes a surrogate mother for an American couple, John and Summer, in exchange for 20 lakh rupees to enter Bollywood. However, as the couple breaks its word, Mimi suffers greatly within her family and society as an unmarried mother. Both the movies advocate surrogacy as a miracle for the unprivileged couple, and through various turbulences, psychological and emotional phases, they keep the audience spellbound. Unlike the earlier movie, the latter one promotes adoption as a substitute for infertility, giving a bright example to nurture the homeless children. The primary objective of this paper is to examine surrogacy in the context of Artificial Intelligence, with reference to films.