Deepfake video of Indian actor Rashmika Mandanna sparks legal action
A deepfake video of Indian actor Rashmika Mandanna was created by manipulating footage of another woman with her face and uploaded to social media in 2023. Delhi Police arrested the main creator in Andhra Pradesh after a complaint from the Delhi Commission for Women, while the incident sparked nationwide debate on AI ethics and celebrity safety.
What happened
In 2023, a deepfake video went viral on social media depicting Indian actor Rashmika Mandanna in a compromising situation entering a lift in a fitted black outfit. The video was created by manipulating an original video of a British-Indian girl (identified as UK-based content creator Zara Patel) with Rashmika Mandanna's face.
Delhi Police apprehended suspects involved in creating and uploading the deepfake video. Four individuals were questioned and released as they were only uploaders, not creators. The main accused was arrested in Andhra Pradesh following a complaint from the Delhi Commission for Women.
Reported impact
The incident sparked widespread concern and outrage across India. Celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan, Nani, Vijay Deverakonda, Naga Chaitanya and Mrunal Thakur demanded legal action against the creators.
The video sparked a nationwide discussion on AI ethics and highlighted the vulnerability of women in the digital age.
Index analysis
The deepfake was convincingly manipulated such that for many casual viewers, the video appeared real, demonstrating the power and deceptive capacity of AI-generated content.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.