Janhvi Kapoor condemned a manipulated AI video using footage from her 2024 film Devara: Part 1. The clip showed her in explicit scenes, sparking outrage. She said, “Consent, choice and respect for a woman's body should be among the most basic notions of humanity.” Many actors also spoke against this abuse.
Synopsis
Janhvi Kapoor has publicly addressed a manipulated AI video circulating online that misrepresents her image. The video was created using footage from her film Devara: Part 1 with Jr NTR. Kapoor described the circulation of such content as deeply violating and comparable to sexual assault. Actors from the Indian film industry have condemned the misuse of AI in this context.
An AI-generated video using footage of Janhvi Kapoor has triggered a fresh debate about consent, digital safety and the growing misuse of artificial intelligence. But for Janhvi, the issue is not simply about one manipulated video it is about a wider culture in which women's boundaries can be treated as negotiable. The Devara actress has now spoken publicly about the incident, describing the circulation of fictionalised content without consent as “deeply violating” and saying it is “bordering on sexual assault”.
What Happened To Janhvi Kapoor?
The controversy centres on an AI-altered video made using footage of Janhvi Kapoor and Jr NTR from the song Chuttamalle, featured in their 2024 film Devara: Part 1. The manipulated clip falsely presents Janhvi Kapoor in sexually explicit and degrading circumstances. It subsequently circulated online, prompting outrage from several members of the Indian film industry. Jr NTR, who co-starred with Janhvi in the film, was among the first to condemn the video. Calling it “disgusting, sick and shameless”, he said he would pursue legal action against those responsible for creating and spreading it. Actors including Chiranjeevi, Vijay Deverakonda and Khushbu Sundar also spoke out against the misuse of AI. Deverakonda described the incident as the “digital equivalent of sexual assault”.
Janhvi Kapoor Says Consent Cannot Be Complicated
In a statement, Janhvi argued that consent should not depend on a woman's clothes, previous choices or anything she may have agreed to in the past. “Consent, choice and respect for a woman's body should be among the most basic notions of humanity,” she wrote, stressing that they should not be treated as complicated concepts. The Devara also argued that the problem extends beyond celebrities and deepfakes, pointing to the broader pressure women face over their bodies, appearance and personal boundaries. Her central message was simple: a woman's image belongs to her, even when technology can convincingly manipulate it.
Take a look at Janhvi Kapoor's latest Instagram story:
Image courtesy: Janhvi Kapoor/ Instagram
AI Has Made Digital Abuse Harder To Control, Says Janhvi Kapoor
The incident comes as governments and technology companies face growing pressure over synthetic media. India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has previously highlighted the risks posed by deepfakes and other synthetic content, including material that can violate privacy or produce non-consensual intimate or obscene imagery.
The government has also been working to strengthen obligations on online platforms concerning AI-generated and manipulated content. The challenge, however, is not only creating rules. Once manipulated material is uploaded, copied and redistributed across multiple platforms, removing the original does not necessarily erase every version.
Other Celebrities Are Raising The Same Concern
Janhvi Kapoor's case is also part of a wider conversation among Indian actors about the boundaries of AI. Yami Gautam recently urged people not to alter or enhance photographs of her using AI without permission, asking that images from public appearances be used in their original form. The growing number of such incidents shows why the debate is no longer simply about whether an AI image or video is “real”. It is increasingly about whether someone should have the right to control how their likeness is digitally used.
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