Deepfake Scandal Tarnishes Prominent Telugu Actor's Reputation

On 2025-10-24, a prominent Telugu actor and former politician filed a complaint with the Hyderabad Cyber Crime police, alleging the circulation of AI-generated pornographic deepfake videos that superimpose his likeness onto explicit content. In a five-page representation, the actor stated that at least three adult websites were streaming and monetizing clips that falsely depicted him in sexual acts with a woman identified as a Bollywood actress.

The actor asserted that the material, created using advanced generative-AI tools, was being cross-posted on multiple mirror sites, indicating an organized cybercrime network aimed at commercial gain and malicious defamation. He provided police with the weblinks of the objectionable content as evidence, contending that the "manufactured videos are being maliciously used to portray me in obscene and vulgar contexts, thereby distorting public perception and undermining decades of goodwill."

The actor also presented a Sept 26 ad-interim injunction from the City Civil Court, Hyderabad, which issued an order restraining digital media outlets, YouTube channels and other entities from using the actor's name, titles, images and photographs for commercial purposes, thereby protecting his personality rights. Police have registered a case under various sections of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.