Megastar Chiranjeevi and his son, actor Ram Charan, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Hyderabad on Monday to raise concerns about the growing misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology. Chiranjeevi, who recently voiced his concerns on social media over degrading and morphed videos targeting artistes, used the meeting to brief the minister on the issue.
Chiranjeevi Seeks Stronger Action Against AI Misuse
According to reports, Chiranjeevi had sought an appointment with Amit Shah to personally explain the ways in which AI and deepfake technologies are being misused. The actor highlighted the serious threat these technologies pose to artistes’ rights, dignity and personality rights. Representing concerns shared by members of the film fraternity, he called for stronger safeguards and stringent action against those responsible for such misuse.
Amit Shah reportedly responded positively and assured the actors that the government would look into the matter and work towards stricter measures. He also asked for a formal written representation outlining their concerns.
The Telugu and wider South Indian film industries have increasingly been dealing with AI-generated deepfakes, explicit image and video morphing, and unauthorised use of celebrities’ identities. Several actors, including Rashmika Mandanna, Janhvi Kapoor, Mrunal Thakur and Rukmini Vasanth, have raised concerns about digital exploitation and, in some instances, approached the police.
Chiranjeevi is particularly concerned about the targeting of women through AI-generated deepfakes and the larger issue of their digital exploitation. His appeal underscores the growing demand within the entertainment industry for stronger legal and technological safeguards to protect artistes from the misuse of their identities.
