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Historyverse, the culturally focused content label within India’s Collective Studios, has announced “Vikram Betal,” an AI-enabled adaptation drawing on the ancient Indian folk tradition of King Vikramaditya and the spirit
Betal. Birla Open Minds will serve as knowledge partner on the project.
The source material – rooted in the “Baital Pachisi,” a collection of tales narrated by the spirit Betal to King Vikram, each ending in a moral riddle – has been a cornerstone of Indian popular storytelling for generations. The most celebrated screen adaptation remains Ramanand Sagar’s “Vikram Aur Betaal,” which aired on DD National from October 1985 to April 1986, starring Arun Govil as King Vikrama and Sajjan as the Vetala. The series ran for 26 weeks and drew audiences internationally, with its success widely credited as giving Sagar the confidence to go on and produce his landmark “Ramayana” series. Subsequent adaptations have included a Colors series, a 2004 Cartoon Network TV movie and a 2018 &TV series.
The Historyverse project will be produced through Galleri5, Collective Studios’s in-house AI storytelling studio, with the company positioning emerging technology as a complement to the source material’s narrative and philosophical core rather than a departure from it.
Students across the Birla Open Minds school network will be offered curated interactions and behind-the-scenes access to the production, with the partnership framed around exposing young audiences to the role of artificial intelligence in contemporary content creation.
Vijay Subramaniam, founder and group CEO of Collective Artists Network, said, “‘Vikram Betal’ is a perfect example of an enduring IP that continues to spark imagination and critical thinking. Our partnership with Birla Open Minds allows us to extend this journey into education, creating meaningful ways for young learners to connect with India’s cultural heritage through the power of storytelling.”
Nirvaan Birla, managing director of Birla Open Minds, added, “We believe education should connect students with both cultural heritage and emerging technologies. The ‘Vikram Betal’ project brings these two worlds together by reimagining one of India’s most iconic storytelling traditions through the use of Artificial Intelligence. It offers students a unique opportunity to engage with creativity, technology, and storytelling while remaining connected to the cultural foundations that continue to shape generations.”
The announcement adds to Historyverse’s stated ambition of building a long-term platform around Indian history, folklore, and cultural narrative across film, series, gaming, and emerging formats.
