Actor Janhvi Kapoor on Monday said her AI-altered videos from Devara: Part 1 were a serious violation and a criminal misuse of technology to objectify women, something that opens up a larger debate around how women are constantly forced to negotiate for their safety even in the digital sphere.
In a strongly worded post on her Instagram story on Monday, the actor said consent, choice, and respect for a woman’s body should be basic. It has now been taken down from the platforms. Jr NTR, actor Khushbu Sunder, Vijay Deverakonda and Chiranjeevi have also condemned the misuse of technology.
The AI-generated video of the song ‘Chuttamalle’ from Jr NTR and Janhvi-starrer Devara: Part 1 digitally manipulates Janhvi’s appearance from the song to depict her in a sexually explicit manner.
Today it is someone else. Tomorrow, it could be your mother, sister, wife or daughter. Today, it is her. Tomorrow, it could be me, you, our daughter, our sister, our mother, or any woman we love. Today, it has happened to someone else. Tomorrow, it could happen to you, me or anyone we know.
“Using technology criminally to objectify women and circulate fabricated content without their consent is a serious violation. It is almost equivalent to sexual assault. Almost every woman in my industry has faced this in some form. Now women everywhere are becoming victims of it,” she wrote. “What a woman is comfortable with, where she draws the line, and what she chooses to do with her body are decisions that belong exclusively to her. This goes far beyond the AI videos I have dealt with over the last few days, or anything I have personally experienced throughout my career. It is about the larger reality of being a woman, the gaze, the judgement, the constant negotiation for safety, and the feeling that our boundaries somehow remain open to interpretation”. She also thanked Jr NTR, Sunder, Deverakonda and Chiranjeevi for speaking out against the video. “In a land which 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 AI to create something this vile is shameful beyond words,” he wrote. “To the scumbags behind this morphed ‘Chuttamalle’ video, I will not spare any of you. Disgusting, Sick and Shameless. I will take every possible legal action against those who created it and those who are spreading it. Please do not watch, share or engage with such content. 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. “What has been done through AI is not a joke, not entertainment and not something we should ever normalise. It is cruel, abusive and deeply shameful. It is tearing off her dignity. I am outraged by the creation and circulation of morphed videos targeting a woman. No woman should have to fear that technology can be weaponised to invade her dignity, reputation and sense of safety. As a woman, I refuse to stay silent when another woman is digitally violated, degraded and humiliated. When one woman’s dignity is attacked, every woman has a reason to stand up and speak out. Those who create such content, knowingly share it, promote it or deliberately amplify it must be held accountable under the law. There must be consequences and punished to set an example. A woman’s body is not content. Her dignity is not entertainment. Her humiliation is not a joke. And AI must never become a weapon against women. As women, we must stand together and say: ENOUGH. I stand with you #JanhviKapoor Stay strong bachcha. ♥️♥️♥️ “A woman’s body is not content. “Such acts are cruel, shameful and completely unacceptable. I strongly condemn them. This is not an issue concerning just one individual or one film. He also urged the Telugu film industry to band together to address such issues and requested the state and the central governments to take strong measures against such videos. I am deeply disturbed by the use of AI to create degrading and morphed videos of a woman. Every one of us has a responsibility to stand against this abuse. Those who create such content and those who deliberately spread or amplify it must be held accountable under the law. This cannot be dismissed as a joke or treated as entertainment. 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. The entire Telugu film fraternity must come together for this effort. Our associations, artists, technicians, audiences and fans all have a role to play. I also urge the Central and State Governments to take strong and effective measures against the misuse of AI for such abuse. Please do not watch, download, share or circulate these videos, even with the intention of condemning them. Report them to the respective platforms and Cyber Crime authorities instead. Protecting human dignity is our collective responsibility. “They must face the harshest possible legal consequences and be made an example of. We must not let this go. When did we became so insensitive to each other. What kind of parenting is going on? what kind of society are we living in? Where we find joy in degrading each other? “At a time when the world is debating and fearing how AI disrupt livelihoods and take away jobs, these idiots are using that very technology to do utter nonsense. This is the digital equivalent of sexual assault. We have stooped to the levels of absolute lowlife. Whoever is responsible for this should not be spared. We must not let this go. when did we became so insensitive to each other. And to the team standing up against this, you have my full support. The issue of deepfakes and AI-altered videos has affected many female stars in the industry .
Because we are not the victim today, we cannot remain silent simply. Because it has not affected us personally, we cannot remain silent simply.
Statement poster by Jahnvi Kapoor on her Instagram handle | Photo Credit: @janhvikapoor/Instagram The actor said the threat has now expanded into the digital sphere, even though the “very real, physical fear that continues to disrupt the lives of women every day” has not even been adequately addressed. In a post on his X handle on Sunday, Jr NTR said the morphed video was “vile” and “shameful beyond words”. I will take every possible legal action against those who created it and those who are spreading it,” he said, urging the state governments and the Centre to take measures against the misuse of AI. Khushbu Sunder said that as a woman, she refused to be silent when “another woman is digitally violated, degraded and humiliated”. And AI must never become a weapon against women,” she said. Condemning the video, Chiranjeevi said he was deeply disturbed by the use of AI to create degrading and morphed videos of a woman. Every one of us has a responsibility to stand against this abuse,” he said, adding that he will take up the case with the Telugu Film Chamber, the Producers’ Council and our affiliated industry bodies. Let us stand together, speak up and act. #UniteAgainstDigitalAbuse @revanth_anumula @ncbn @AmitShah @AshwiniVaishnaw @GoI_MeitY Vijay Deverakonda said whoever spread the morphed AI-video should not be spared. The law must treat such acts with utmost seriousness,” he said.
Actors Rashmika Mandanna, Mrunal Thakur, and Shalini Pandey have earlier raised concerns about how their videos were morphed and circulated online.
