‘Disgusting, shameless’: Jr NTR slams Chuttamalle deepfake of Janhvi Kapoor, vows legal action - The Indian Express

Actor Jr NTR has strongly condemned an AI-generated deepfake video that uses footage from the ‘Chuttamalle’ song from his film Devara: Part 1 to depict his co-star Janhvi Kapoor in a sexually explicit and degrading manner. The actor has threatened legal action against those who created and circulated the morphed video.

In a post on X on Saturday, NTR opened with three words that made his reaction clear: “Disgusting. Sick. Shameless.”

He then pointed to the contradiction between the values Indian society claims to uphold and the reality of how AI technology is being misused.

“In a land that worships women as mothers and goddesses, where ‘Matrudevo Bhava’ is not just a phrase but a part of our culture, some people have fallen so low that they are using AI to disrespect a woman in the most degrading way possible,” NTR wrote.

In a land that worships women as mothers and goddesses, where “Matrudevo Bhava” is not just a phrase but a part of our culture, some people have fallen so low that they are using AI to disrespect a woman in the most degrading way possible. Using…

NTR also addressed those behind the morphed video directly and said he would pursue legal action against them.

“To the scumbags behind this morphed Chuttamalle video, I will not spare any of you. I will take every possible legal action against those who created it and those who are spreading it,” he wrote.

The actor also urged the public not to engage with the content.

“Please do not watch, share or engage with such content. Today it is someone else. Tomorrow, it could be your mother, sister, wife or daughter,” he wrote.

NTR concluded his post by calling on both state governments and the Centre to take action against the misuse of artificial intelligence.

“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.

The Chuttamalle deepfake is not the first instance of AI being used to create non-consensual sexual content involving Indian actresses. Over the past two years, several Indian actresses have spoken out or been reported as targets of manipulated images and videos circulated online.

Rashmika Mandanna was among the first major Indian actresses to speak publicly about being targeted by a deepfake in November 2023, when a manipulated video of her went viral on social media.Other actors, including Kajol, Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif, have also been the subjects of manipulated or AI-generated content circulated online.

‘Chuttamalle’ is a song from Devara: Part 1, the 2024 Telugu action drama directed by Koratala Siva and starring Jr NTR and Janhvi Kapoor. The romantic track was composed by Anirudh Ravichander, with lyrics by Ramajogayya Sastry.