A recent sexually explicit AI deepfake video of actress Janhvi Kapoor, involving her co-actor Jr NTR, has drawn strong condemnation from celebrities, who are calling for AI deepfake regulations from both state and central governments. While a senior actor said he would take the issue to the Telugu Film Chamber, a producer stated that the Telugu film industry intends to take it up with Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan.

After this incident, actress Janhvi Kapoor responded: 

“The criminal misuse of technology to objectify women and circulate fictionalised content without consent is deeply violating, bordering on sexual assault. Almost every woman in my industry has faced some version of this. And, women everywhere are increasingly being subjected to it.” – Janhvi Kapoor

Access a copy of her full statement from the screenshot of her Instagram story here. 

Most intermediaries removed the content: Most of the links, including Google Drive links, related to Janhvi Kapoor’s deepfake content circulating on social media are no longer active.

In November 2023, when a similar AI deepfake video of actress Rashmika Mandanna went viral, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued advisories to social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, to take down deepfake content within 24 hours. Apart from this, according to the February amendments to the IT Rules, intermediaries have to remove AI-generated or synthetically generated content within three hours.

One of the URLs that was widely circulated on social media

However, as happens with most viral content that is leaked or uploaded to the web, Janhvi Kapoor’s AI deepfake video is still available on a few porn sites. Some of them are already geo-blocked in India.

In August 2026, the Delhi HC passed an order to protect the personality rights of Janhvi Kapoor and her sister Khushi Kapoor. This included takedowns of obscene or pornographic content. However, the judge refused to order a blanket takedown.

Jr NTR, the co-actor who is also a victim of the AI deepfake in the same video, urged the state and central governments to bring in AI deepfake regulations. “This is a serious issue, and I urge all the state governments and the Government of India to act strongly and bring in strict regulations against the misuse of AI,” he wrote on X. He is the first celebrity to call out the AI deepfake.

Producer Naga Vamsi said that the industry will meet Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan to address AI deepfakes: “Since this recent issue is such defaming and vulgar, we are taking a collective decision to speak with Kalyan garu to discuss what can be done from the Central government,” he said at a different press meet.

Actor Chiranjeevi, who is also the brother of AP Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, said that the “Central and State Governments [need] to take strong and effective measures against the misuse of AI for such abuse.” While tagging the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh CMs and Union Ministers Amit Shah and Ashwini Vaishnaw, he also said:

“I will take this matter up with the Telugu Film Chamber, the Producers’ Council and our affiliated industry bodies, and recommend the formation of a dedicated committee and support cell. Working closely with Cyber Crime authorities, this team should support those affected, coordinate efforts to remove such content and pursue legal action against those responsible.” – Actor Chiranjeevi

“Whoever is responsible for this should not be spared. They must face the harshest possible legal consequences and be made an example of. We must not let this go… This is the digital equivalent of sexual assault. The law must treat such acts with utmost seriousness,” wrote actor Vijay Deverakonda.

One actor suggested linking Aadhaar to social media accounts. “Accountability is the need of the hour. Linking Aadhaar to online identities may be the most effective way to ensure accountability and curb online abuse going forward,” wrote Ram Pothineni, responding to Jr NTR’s post condemning the deepfake video.

In September 2025, at an event unrelated to deepfakes, Telugu actor Sai Dharam Tej also said: “If possible, I really want all the social media platforms to have some sort of connection to the real world, like checking a social media account with an authenticated ID like Aadhaar Card or their parents or something.” He made this statement in the context of making social media platforms safer for children.

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