Rashmika Mandanna Breaks Silence on Viral Deepfake Video, Calls for Action Against Identity Theft

Rashmika Mandanna has opened up about the distress she felt after a deepfake video featuring her went viral on the internet. This incident occurred recently, on November 5, when a manipulated video of the popular South Indian actress surfaced on social media.

In the deepfake video, a woman with Rashmika's likeness was seen entering an elevator while wearing a revealing outfit. The video quickly gained traction, with some social media users suspecting its authenticity as a deepfake. Eventually, a user confirmed that the video was indeed fake by sharing the original footage and emphasizing the need for a legal and regulatory framework to address deepfakes in India. The user revealed, "You might have seen this viral video of Rashmika Mandanna on Instagram, but wait, it is a deepfake video of Zara Patel."

The deepfake video was quite convincing to the average social media user, but upon closer inspection, it became evident that at the 1-second mark, the woman's face changed from another girl to Rashmika.

In response to the incident, Rashmika took to her Instagram Stories to express her feelings, saying, "I'm really sad to share this and want to talk about my deepfake video being spread online. Honestly, something like this is extremely scary not only for me, but for each one of us who are vulnerable to a lot of harm due to the misuse of technology today." She went on to reflect on how crucial it is to address such issues as a community before more people fall victim to identity theft through deepfakes.

Amitabh Bachchan, a renowned Bollywood actor, also weighed in on the matter, demanding strict legal action against those responsible. In a retweet of the user's post, Amitabh Bachchan stated, "Yes, this is a legally strong case," emphasizing the importance of taking legal measures in such incidents.

Also Read: Rashmika Mandanna to Lead in Rahul Ravindran's Upcoming Film 'The Girlfriend'