Hafeez Tahir, the creator of the beloved Pakistani children’s show Ainak Wala Jin, has publicly condemned a new AI-generated film based on his work, accusing its makers of using his idea without permission.

The film, marketed on IMDb as Asia’s first AI-generated feature-length movie, released in cinemas on July 24.

Tahir shared a video on his Instagram account on Thursday criticizing the film’s director and writer, Farhan Khan, for moving forward with the project without consulting him.

Tahir said that the original series, which aired on PTV from 1993 to 1996, came entirely from his own concept and creative work. “I am the concept writer, I named it, directed it,” he said, adding that he delivered a finished production to PTV, which he said has continued to profit from it for decades. He pointed out that the show’s YouTube page “still makes millions for the channel.”

He called the new film “daylight robbery,” saying that neither Khan nor PTV approached him for permission or involvement before producing it. He said the filmmakers “made a mess of my iconic idea.”

Tahir also criticised the quality of the AI-generated film, pointing to changes in the appearance and voices of the show’s original characters.

“My main character, Nastoor Jin, looks like a daku,” he said, using an Urdu word for bandit. He added that “Hamoon Jadoogar’s face has been ruined, the voices have been ruined.” He also said the filmmakers had added “bad music” made using AI throughout the movie.

“They have taken a great and beautiful idea and destroyed it,” Tahir said.

He closed his video by asking his followers, “Should I just wail about it and remain silent,” or whether he should pursue legal action over the film.

Ainak Wala Jin first aired on PTV Lahore in 1993 and became one of the most popular children’s programs in Pakistan’s television history.

The show blended fantasy, science fiction, comedy and everyday life, and its characters remained widely recognized among Pakistani audiences through the 1990s and into the 2000s.

Tahir received PTV’s Director of the Decade award for the series and was later honored with Pakistan’s Pride of Performance award in 2023.

The makers of the film are yet to respond to Tahir’s claims.