Pune's political landscape is buzzing with activity as candidates hit the streets for traditional canvassing. A parallel campaign is gaining momentum on social media platforms. In this digital version, AI-generated fictional characters are entering the civic fray, speaking fluent Marathi and engaging with ward-level politics effortlessly.
Satirical Reels Bring Global Characters to Local Politics
Satire accounts are posting AI-generated reels that imagine fictional characters diving into election season. The result is highly relatable entertainment that resonates with voters. While the faces belong to global pop culture icons, their accents, anxieties, and ambitions feel unmistakably local.
Thanos Announces Candidacy from Congress
One viral reel from the satire account incthanos features Marvel's altruistic villain Thanos declaring his candidacy from the Congress party. He welcomes democratic competition and expresses eagerness to present his vision to the people. Thanos promptly responds to Tony Stark's declaration of intent through the BJP.
The humor escalates with meticulous detail. Thanos holds a Shakti Pradarshan rally stretching from Powder Galli to Gokuldham Society. This route places an intergalactic figure squarely within Pune's everyday geography, blending the extraordinary with the mundane.
Spider-Man Joins Shiv Sena Race
In another clip, Spider-Man announces his candidacy for the Shiv Sena. During his pitch, he insists he is "not Spider-Man, but a common man". He pledges to work tirelessly for the welfare and development of his ward, adopting classic political rhetoric.
Appearing on Shaktiman Bhau's podcast to discuss welfare schemes and unemployment, the humor lies in how convincingly he adopts everyday political language. Spider-Man turns a superhero's identity crisis into a compelling campaign slogan, delighting viewers.
Creators Behind the AI Campaign
Mumbai-based advertisement filmmakers Prathu Rathore and Sumeet Shah are the masterminds behind several of these reels. The partners began posting AI-made videos featuring Tony Stark, Thanos, and the Hulk as an independent satirical project.
"We are independent and our aim is to create satirical content," Rathore explained. "We do not want to get involved in the elections or influence anyone. This is pure entertainment — something people enjoy watching. People approached us asking to be portrayed in a positive light, but we have stayed away from that. We do not want to do soft propaganda for anyone."
Unstructured Creativity and Realistic Results
Shah described their process as deliberately unstructured. "There was no master plan. We were just experimenting. The humour came from playing with familiar stereotypes," he said.
The realism exceeded their expectations. "The account we created for Tony Stark, portrayed by Robert Downing Jr, was suspended for impersonation because the videos looked very real," Shah revealed. "We turned that into a storyline where Thanos uses his powers to remove Iron Man from the election race. If the account comes back, the story will change again."
Overwhelming Public Response
The response has been phenomenal. "One video crossed over 12 million views and many others are in a similar range," Rathore shared. "These videos are being watched, liked and forwarded not just in Maharashtra, but abroad."
Rathore and Shah are part of a broader trend. Other creators have drafted characters like Vecna and John Wick into Maharashtra's fictional political scene. This reel-life election is expanding into an increasingly crowded ballot, captivating audiences.
Viewers Embrace the Humor
The appeal stems from the built-in fan following of these characters and the instant recognition they command. "Seeing Thanos in a crisp white kurta speaking fluent politician Marathi was not on my bingo card for 2026, but here we are," said Rupali Singh, an education professional from Mumbai.
Sharmila Joshi, a viewer from Pune, added, "Real political content can be exhausting. These reels feel like a breather because they sound exactly like what we hear every election, just delivered by a character we could never imagine in such a setting."
As Pune's election season heats up, these AI-generated satirical campaigns offer a refreshing blend of humor and commentary. They transform familiar political tropes into engaging entertainment, proving that innovation can thrive even in the most traditional arenas.
