Ranveer Singh files case with police after deepfake video goes viral

New Delhi/Mumbai:

Actor Ranveer Singh has lodged a complaint against a widely circulated deepfake video showing him supporting a political party.

While the video – an interview he gave to news agency ANI during his recent visit to Varanasi – is authentic, the audio was generated through an artificial intelligence tool.

In a deepfake, Ranveer Singh criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over unemployment and inflation.

The altered video later ended with a message urging people to vote for Congress.

“Deepfake se bacho doston (Friends, beware of Deepfakes),” he posted on Instagram after the Deepfake went viral.

Ranveer Singh’s team said a first information report (FIR) has been registered and investigation into the case is on. “Yes, we have lodged a complaint with the police and an FIR has been lodged against the accounts promoting AI-generated deepfake videos of Ranveer Singh,” a spokesperson said.

Earlier, a deepfake video of actor Aamir Khan, in which he was seen promoting a political party, went viral on social media.

“We would like to clarify that Aamir Khan has never supported any political party in his 35-year career. He has worked to create awareness through the Election Commission’s public awareness campaigns in many past elections,” Mr Khan’s spokesman said in a statement.

The spread of actor deepfakes highlights the potential role that AI-generated content can play in the Lok Sabha polls.

Deepfakes are increasingly used in elections elsewhere around the world, including in the United States, Pakistan and Indonesia.