Rashmika Mandanna condemns AI deepfake abuse targeting women
Actor Rashmika Mandanna issued a statement on December 3, 2025, condemning the creation of deepfake videos and morphed images of women, following a deepfake of her that went viral in November 2023. She called for strict legal punishment for AI misuse and urged society to prioritize responsibility over recklessness in the use of artificial intelligence.
What happened
A deepfake video of actor Rashmika Mandanna went viral on social media in November 2023, which prompted her to issue a statement at the time calling for action against identity theft.
On December 3, 2025, Mandanna shared a statement on X condemning the misuse of AI to create deepfake videos and morphed images targeting women. She stated: 'AI is a force for progress, but its misuse to create vulgarity and target women signals a deep moral decline in certain people.'
Reported impact
Mandanna described the issue as affecting celebrities and the public, noting that 'the internet is no longer a mirror of truth' and that 'anything can be fabricated' online.
She highlighted emotional and reputational harm, calling for urgent community action before more people are affected by such identity theft.
Index analysis
The incident reflects widespread use of deepfake technology to create non-consensual intimate imagery of women in the entertainment industry, with other actors including Keerthy Suresh and Girija Oak Godbole reporting similar abuse.
Governance controls
Mandanna called for 'strict and unforgiving punishment' for those who misuse AI and urged lawmakers to strengthen cybercrime laws, tagging the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre in her statement.
She emphasised personal responsibility, stating: 'Choose responsibility over recklessness. If people cannot act like humans, then strict & unforgiving punishment must be served to them.'
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.