‘Humans in the Loop’: Aranya Sahay’s AI Drama is Visually Striking, Thematically Important, and Emotionally Resonant

Aranya Sahay’s debut feature “Humans in the Loop” has sparked considerable critical conversation since its premiere at the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) festival in 2024 and subsequent release on Netflix in October 2025. The independent Indian drama, which follows an Adivasi woman working as a data labeler for artificial intelligence systems, has drawn praise for its timely examination of technology, bias, and indigenous knowledge—though not all critics have embraced its approach.

High on Films gave the film a 4.5 out of 5 rating, describing it as “an essential and timely film on the intersection of ethics and technology.” The film’s accolades extend beyond critical reviews: it won Best Film and the FIPRESCI award at the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival, establishing Sahay as a noteworthy new voice in independent Indian filmmaking.

The News Minute’s Swaroop Kodur called it “a tale that is both cautionary and endearing” and “a great new entrant to the burgeoning Indian indie scene.” Writing for Indian Community, critics noted that the film “becomes one of the most compelling Indian dramas of 2025” and praised it as “a powerful, original, and deeply human drama that redefines how we talk about AI in cinema.” 

Technical Mastery and Visual Poetry

The film’s cinematography has earned particular acclaim. Dipankar Sarkar, writing for Talking Films, praised cinematographers Harshit Saini and Monica Tiwari for work that “elegantly juxtaposes the vast, organic landscapes of Jharkhand with the sterile artificiality of the digital world.”

The Hindu highlighted the film’s “sharp social critique wrapped in a visually immersive” experience, particularly praising its exploration of “AI biases and the gendered implications of technology.”

Midgard Times’ Vikas Yadav described watching the film on a laptop yet feeling “as though I were seeing it on an IMAX screen,” noting that the forest imagery was “so vast and powerful” it created an “almost otherworldly effect.”

The Hollywood Reporter India observed that the filmmaking “stages conflicts and resolutions without losing sight of the message,” with a camera that “frames Nehma as if it’s processing her for (e)motion and looking for labels.” The publication also noted that the score is “somehow both synthetic and evocative; it’s at once tech-forward and traditional, making it sound like a modern quest for belonging.”

Performances That Resonate

Lead actress Sonal Madhushankar’s portrayal of Nehma has been widely celebrated. Indian Community described her performance as “outstanding,” praising “her quiet strength, emotional vulnerability, and ability to portray resilience.”

Midgard Times was particularly moved by both Madhushankar and Ridhima Singh (who plays her daughter Dhaanu), stating their “quiet, defiant expressions deserve a shrine in the cinematic pantheon” and noting shock at discovering Singh had never acted before.

A Different Approach to Tech Narratives

What sets the film apart, according to critics, is its focus on the human labor behind artificial intelligence rather than the technology itself. The film “spotlights the invisible human labour that powers artificial intelligence” and asks crucial questions: “Whose knowledge gets recognized? Who decides what qualifies as truth?”

Karthik Govil, writing on Medium, appreciated that “the movie made a great choice going personal, focusing on just one woman, Nehma,” avoiding the tendency of many films to “infantilize the poor” or turn them into a “hivemind.” As someone identifying as a “Tech Bro,” Govil found the film’s use of industry terminology like “human in the loop” demonstrated authentic understanding rarely seen in artistic explorations of technology.

Divided Reception

Not all critical voices have been uniformly positive. Midgard Times, while praising the visuals and performances, criticized the film for “obviousness,” arguing that “its themes and text seem like traps for critics” with “an ending that’s both too neat and too predictable.”

On the audience side, responses on IMDb have been sharply divided. While some viewers praised the film’s subtlety and emotional depth, others found it slow-paced and lacking narrative cohesion, with at least one review advising readers to simply read about data labeling rather than watch the film.

Thematic Depth and Cultural Resonance

The Hindu highlighted the film’s “sharp social critique wrapped in a visually immersive” experience, particularly praising its exploration of “AI biases and the gendered implications of technology.”

Talking Films emphasized how the film shows that “AI, controlled by those in power, reinforces hierarchies rather than dismantling them,” drawing parallels between ancient cave paintings and contemporary algorithmic labeling as different generations’ attempts to understand their world.

The Hollywood Reporter India noted the film’s effectiveness in illustrating profound ironies: “A disenfranchised woman — bereft of social and personal identity — spends her days identifying and legitimizing life on a computer screen. The mother of a 12-year-old girl and 1-year-old infant is hired to treat AI as a child.”

Final Verdict

“Humans in the Loop” has positioned itself as significant independent cinema that tackles contemporary technological issues through an indigenous lens. While some critics find its messaging too transparent, the consensus acknowledges Sahay’s accomplished debut as visually striking, thematically important, and emotionally resonant. Whether the film represents essential viewing or festival-circuit fare depends largely on one’s appetite for contemplative, socially conscious cinema that prioritizes questions over answers.

This story, conceptualized and edited by American Kahani’s News Desk, was aggregated by AI from several news reports.