In a development that underscores the growing challenge of distinguishing real art from AI-generated visuals, veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai recently found himself at the center of an unexpected online debate.
Ghai shared what he described as a “self-portrait” created in sand, crediting famed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik for the work. The filmmaker, who was clearly stunned, wrote that a friend had sent him the picture and claimed it was by Pattnaik, a Padma Shri awardee known for his intricate sand sculptures.
“I can’t believe it,” Ghai wrote in his post, praising the “perfection and affection” with which the portrait appeared to have been created. At first glance, the painting resembled a finely detailed sand sculpture—one that matched Pattnaik’s reputation for precision.
Real or AI?
However, the post soon attracted attention. Several users have pointed out inconsistencies in the image, suggesting that it may not be an actual sand sculpture, but rather an AI-generated visual.
Observers noted that the facial features appeared unusually flawless and lacked the natural imperfections typical of sand art. The texture, shading and overall finish, some argued, seemed “too perfect” to have been created by hand.
Enter Sudarsan Pattnaik
Amid growing speculation, Pattnaik himself responded to Ghai’s post and offered a polite but clear explanation.
“Namaskar Subhash Ghai ji, I am truly honored to receive your message and appreciation. Sir, I am your big fan,” he wrote, adding that the image “seems to be generated by AI” and that there may have been a misunderstanding or misinformation.
He further expressed his gratitude for Ghai’s kind words and maintained a respectful tone as he spoke of the confusion.
The answer not only settled the immediate question of the image’s authenticity, but also highlighted how easily misinformation — intentional or otherwise — can spread in the age of artificial intelligence.
The Internet is responding
One user wrote: “But we have to wonder if a director like Subhash Ghai couldn’t tell the difference between an AI image and an original work…how can we expect ordinary people?”
“Incredibly gifted @sudarsansand and his humble way of bringing reality to the iconic Subash Ghaiji,” wrote another user.
“Ghai ji at least you should have seen the specs in the so alled sculpt before you post the praise. Looks like you saw it when you weren’t wearing your specs,” quipped the user.
“Our old generation is too innocent to differentiate between real n AI,” wrote a fourth user.
Several users on the internet requested Pattnaik to create a portrait of Ghaia.
