Who are Mayur More and Ashlesha Thakur? Actors to lead Abundantia’s AI-driven film ‘Beta Builder’

Mayur More, known for ‘Kota Factory’, and Ashlesha Thakur of ‘The Family Man’ will headline ‘Beta Builder’, the first film under Abundantia Entertainment and InVideo’s ₹100-crore AI filmmaking partnership.

Actors Mayur More and Ashlesha Thakur will lead ‘Beta Builder’, the first AI-driven feature film to emerge from the partnership between Abundantia Entertainment and video technology company InVideo.

The film will be directed by Hridaye A. Nagpal, InVideo’s Global Creative Lead, with principal photography beginning in Mumbai. According to the producers, the city will serve “as both its home and creative starting point.”

The project is being produced by Abundantia through its Abundantia AiOn division, which was established last year as an AI production unit built around a “human-first and AI-empowered” approach.

The film is part of a broader partnership announced last year between Abundantia and San Francisco-headquartered InVideo, founded by Sanket Shah. The agreement covers a slate of five AI-powered films over three years, backed by a commitment of ₹100 crore ($10.5 million).

Who are Mayur More and Ashlesha Thakur?

Mayur More is known for his work in the series ‘Kota Factory’ and ‘Black, White & Gray: Love Kills’. He will star alongside Ashlesha Thakur, who is known for her role in ‘The Family Man’.

The two actors will headline ‘Beta Builder’, which is being positioned as a hybrid production combining live-action filmmaking with AI-driven production techniques.

What is ‘Beta Builder’ about?

‘Beta Builder’ follows Jai, a self-taught, gifted architect from Dharavi, a densely populated neighbourhood in Mumbai. He gets an opportunity to realise his ambitions in the world of virtual reality, but soon discovers that success involves more than proving his abilities.

The producers describe the protagonist as an underdog who must challenge the system holding him back, win the love of his life and give his community a voice in shaping its future.

The film is described as “rooted in one of India’s most iconic geographies and set against the limitless possibilities of a virtual world,” with its story exploring “ambition, belonging and what it truly means to build something that lasts.”

How will AI be used in the film?

The production is being described as a hybrid format, “pairing full-blown, live-action filming with AI-driven production”. The project will combine conventional on-location filming with AI-assisted production techniques.

Director Nagpal said: “We are about to see a wave of fascinating films,” said director Nagpal. “With AI-assisted filmmaking, storytellers can dream much bigger, and backing a bold idea finally feels possible. The partnership between Abundantia and InVideo gives filmmakers the scale and creative support to take on ideas like this. Beta Builder is our bet on that future, with a live-action shoot and AI working side by side”

Last month, Abundantia founder and CEO Vikram Malhotra outlined his plans for AI-led production in an interview with Deadline, where he also revealed that Abundantia AiOn was evolving into a fully native, standalone AI studio.

He had said: “The capability needed to run AI at studio level will not be found solely within the conventional media and entertainment system,” he said at the time. “It is truly a confluence of technology and art.”

In a statement on the film's production, Malhotra said: “In our partnership with InVideo and Sanket, our focus is to leverage AI and tell stories that are unique, impactful and entertaining. I am delighted that the first film in our slate is one that tells a story set in a relatable, young world and explores aspirational possibilities beyond.

“In Hridaye, we have a filmmaker who combines a strong creative vision with a deep command over technology, which makes him the ideal person to lead and bring Beta Builder to life. I am excited about how AiOn is enabling unique stories and storytellers to come to the fore and bring their best to fans all over the world.”

InVideo CEO Sanket Shah said: “At InVideo, our mission has always been to put powerful tools in the hands of storytellers,” added Shah, CEO of InVideo. “Beta Builder is where that mission takes the form of a full-length film, made with a partner of Abundantia’s calibre. It is a story about building something that lasts, which makes it the right film to begin this slate with.”

What do Abundantia Entertainment and InVideo do?

Abundantia Entertainment has produced titles including the Prime Video series ‘Breathe’ and ‘Daldal’, the Netflix crime-comedy ‘Maa Behen’, ‘Toilet – Ek Prem Katha’, ‘Chhorii’ and ‘Subedaar’, the action thriller starring Anil Kapoor.

InVideo, a US-based company with offices in India, describes itself as an agnostic AI filmmaking platform and says it has more than 50 million users. Its investors include Peak XV, Tiger Global, Greenoaks, RTP Global, Base Partners and Hummingbird.

The company's original productions include Sony LIV titles ‘Penumbra’, ‘Juicebox’ and ‘Hachiko’.

With ‘Beta Builder’, the two companies are moving their AI-focused partnership into feature-film production, with the project combining a live-action shoot and AI-assisted filmmaking.