Bollywood actress Rashmika Mandanna has recently found herself embroiled in a controversy surrounding a deepfake video that has been circulating on social media. On Monday, the actress decided to break her silence and address the issue, expressing her concern over the misuse of technology.
In a statement posted on her official account, Rashmika shared her thoughts, saying, “I feel really hurt to share this and have to talk about the deepfake video of me being spread online. Something like this is honestly extremely scary, not only for me but also for each one of us who today is vulnerable to so much harm because of how technology is being misused.”
The actress went on to highlight the potential harm such misuse of technology can cause, especially for individuals who may not have the support she has. She stated, “Today, as a woman and as an actor, I am thankful for my family, friends, and well-wishers who are my protection and support system. But if this had happened to me when I was in school or college, I genuinely can’t imagine how I could ever tackle this. We need to address this as a community and with urgency before more of us are affected by such identity theft.”
I feel really hurt to share this and have to talk about the deepfake video of me being spread online.
Something like this is honestly, extremely scary not only for me, but also for each one of us who today is vulnerable to so much harm because of how technology is being misused.…
— Rashmika Mandanna (@iamRashmika) November 6, 2023
Rashmika also took proactive steps by tagging the official accounts of the Cyberabad Police and Maharashtra Cyber, the nodal agency for cyber security and cybercrime investigation in Maharashtra, in her post.
Her message quickly gained attention and support from her fans. One fan expressed their solidarity by saying, “We stand with you in this!!! Let’s raise awareness and work together to combat such misuse of technology. You’re not alone in this, and we support you.” Another fan emphasized the importance of taking action promptly, stating, “This video is still okay, but there are worse. It is better to take action now than later.”
Notably, veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan also weighed in on the issue. He re-shared a tweet advocating for the urgent need for a legal and regulatory framework to address deepfake technology in India. Responding to the tweet, Bachchan wrote, “Yes, this is a strong case for legal action.”
yes this is a strong case for legal https://t.co/wHJl7PSYPN
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) November 5, 2023
The deepfake video in question features a British-Indian woman named Zara Patel inside an elevator, dressed in black, with her face digitally altered using artificial intelligence to resemble Bollywood actress Rashmika Mandanna. Zara Patel enjoys a significant following and had originally shared the video on social media last month.
