Indian actor condemns non-consensual manipulation of her ‘Devara’ footage and warns of the growing threat of AI abuse
Indian actor Janhvi Kapoor has condemned an AI-generated deepfake that manipulated footage from her Devara: Part 1 song Chuttamalle, calling the non-consensual use of her image a “deeply violating” act and warning that the issue reflects a broader reality faced by women.
The altered video, which circulated widely online, digitally manipulated footage featuring Kapoor from the 2024 film and presented her in a sexually explicit manner that was not part of the original production. The incident has triggered strong reactions across the Indian film industry, while renewing concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence to target women.
Breaking her silence on the controversy on Instagram, Kapoor said the issue extends well beyond the particular video involving her. She argued that the misuse of technology reflects a broader problem surrounding the way women’s bodies, choices and boundaries are treated.
“The criminal misuse of technology to objectify women and circulating fictionalised content without consent is deeply violating, bordering on sexual assault. Almost every woman in my industry has faced some version of this. And women everywhere are increasingly being subjected to it,” she wrote.
According to Kapoor, consent should not be viewed as complicated or open to interpretation. A woman’s decisions about her body, appearance and personal boundaries remain hers alone, regardless of what she wears or what choices she may have made previously.
She further argued that the growing threat posed by AI-generated abuse comes on top of the physical and social pressures women already face. In her view, technology has created another avenue through which women can be subjected to harassment and violations of their privacy.
“It is about the larger reality of being a woman. The gaze, the judgement, the constant negotiation for safety and the feelings that our boundaries somehow remain open to interpretation. That threat has now expanded into the digital sphere,” she said.
Screengrab: janhvikapoor/Instagram
Kapoor also called for a wider change in social attitudes, saying responsibility should not rest solely on women or their families to protect themselves from harassment. Instead, she said society must challenge the attitudes that lead people to believe they are entitled to cross another person’s boundaries.
The actor thanked her Devara co-star Jr NTR for speaking out against the manipulated video. NTR had earlier condemned the clip and said he would pursue legal action against those responsible for creating and circulating it.
The controversy has once again highlighted the growing challenges posed by AI deepfakes, particularly when the technology is used to fabricate intimate or degrading material involving people without their knowledge or consent.
Kapoor ended by emphasising the importance of recognising women’s right to control their own images, bodies and boundaries.
“I hope everything unfolding around us right now forces those who participate in any form of harassment to introspect. Is it really too much for a woman to ask to simply be treated and seen as a human being? Her body, her image, her boundaries, her choice”.
Her message ultimately centred on a basic principle: women should be treated as people with the right to control their own images, bodies and boundaries.
