New Delhi: Fans and celebrities were shocked to see a deepfake video of Rashmika Mandanna. After the video went viral, a number of celebrities, including Mrunal Thakur and actor Amitabh Bachchan, called for legal action. Actor Vijay Deverakonda, who is rumored to be Rashmika's boyfriend, made a statement about the viral video.
Vijay demanded harsh punishments and said that what happened to Rashmika 'shouldn't happen to anyone'. Sharing a news article titled 'Government cracks down on deepfakes after viral Rashmika Mandanna video', the actor wrote, "Extremely important steps for the future. This shouldn't happen to anyone. Also, an efficient accessible cyber wing for quick crackdowns and punishment will make people more secure.”
A woman donning all black is seen in an elevator in the widely circulated video. Artificial intelligence (AI) has altered her look to make her appear more like Rashmika. Zara Patel, a British woman, is the one shown in that video. Rashmika's deepfake video shocked many on social media, and the actor addressed it in a tweet on Tuesday.
Later, Rashmika extended her gratitude to her loved ones, friends, and well-wishers.
"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," she wrote.
Mandanna's ‘Goodbye’ co-star Amitabh Bachchan was the first to react after a fact checker posted the deepfake clip.
Deepfake is a digital method where users can replace one person's likeness convincingly with that of another using AI technology.
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