As India gears up for another major election cycle, the buzz isn’t just about politics, it’s also about technology being misused in surprising ways. In the coming weeks, states like West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala will head to the polls, along with Puducherry. While elections in India are always intense and high-energy, they also tend to bring along their fair share of controversies. One growing concern is the rise of deepfake videos, which have increasingly targeted Bollywood celebrities.
During the 2024 election season, several well-known actors found themselves caught in the middle of fake political narratives created using AI-generated videos.
Here is the list of few actors who fell prey to deepfake videos:
1. Aamir Khan:
One of the most talked about incidents involved Aamir Khan. A video of the superstar went viral online, showing him allegedly promoting a political party. The clip quickly grabbed attention, prompting the Mumbai Police to register an FIR against an unidentified individual. The case included charges under sections 419 (impersonation) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act.
Aamir Khan later clarified that the video was completely fake. He emphasised that throughout his 35-year career, he has never endorsed any political party and has instead contributed to voter awareness campaigns run by the Election Commission.
2. Ranveer Singh:
Another case involved Ranveer Singh. A viral video showed him criticising the government and encouraging people to vote for “Nyay” (justice) during the Lok Sabha elections. However, it was soon confirmed that the video had been edited and manipulated. Reacting to the incident, Ranveer warned fans in a light-hearted manner to stay alert, saying, “Deepfake se bacho dostonnnn”.
https://x.com/RanveerOfficial/status/1781287202745676137
3. Allu Arjun:
South Indian superstar Allu Arjun also became a victim of misinformation. A clip showing him standing on an open-top car with his wife Sneha Reddy, waving to crowd, went viral with claims that he had entered politics and was contesting for Congress. Fact-checks later revealed that the video was not recent and had nothing to do with politics. It was actually from 2022, when Allu Arjun attended the India Day Parade in New York City as a grand marshal.
4. Ashutosh Rana:
Actor Ashutosh Rana faced a similar situation. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a video surfaced showing him endorsing a political party. The clip turned out to be fake and speaking about the issue, Ashutosh Rana highlighted how dangerous such technology can be. He pointed out that anyone’s face can now be inserted into videos, which could harm reputations overnight. He added that while he personally stays grounded, it’s important for people to remain cautious, as building a reputation takes years but can be destroyed in a single day.
Apart from these cases, actors like Rashmika Mandanna, Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt have also been targeted by deepfake videos online. However, their cases were not directly linked to political campaigns or elections.
These incidents highlight a growing challenge in the digital age, how easily technology can blur the line between reality and fiction, especially during sensitive times like elections.
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