Actor Janhvi Kapoor on Monday said her AI-altered videos from Devara: Part 1were 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.
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. 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.
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.
“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”.
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. She also thanked Jr NTR, Sunder, Deverakonda and Chiranjeevi for speaking out against the video.
In a post on his X handle on Sunday, Jr NTR said the morphed video was “vile” and “shameful beyond words”.
“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. 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”.
“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.
“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,” 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.
“Such acts are cruel, shameful and completely unacceptable. I strongly condemn them. This is not an issue concerning just one individual or one film. Today, it has happened to someone else. Tomorrow, it could happen to you, me or anyone we know. We cannot remain silent simply because it has not affected us personally. 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.
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.
Vijay Deverakonda said whoever spread the morphed AI-video should not be spared.
“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. The law must treat such acts with utmost seriousness,” he said.
The issue of deepfakes and AI-altered videos has affected many female stars in the industry. Actors Rashmika Mandanna, Mrunal Thakur, and Shalini Pandey have earlier raised concerns about how their videos were morphed and circulated online.
Published – October 05, 2026 03:49 pm IST
