Rashmika Mandanna, an Indian actress, empowers women to voice their concerns over deepfake videos

Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna has issued a plea for people to refrain from sharing deepfake videos after she herself became a victim of one. Mandanna, who recently experienced the circulation of a manipulated video featuring her face, particularly encouraged young women to speak out if they were targeted with such material. The actress expressed her gratitude for the support she received from her colleagues in the film industry, emphasizing that the sharing of deepfakes should not be normalized. She also acknowledged that if she had faced a similar situation during her school or college years, she wouldn't have known how to handle it. Mandanna called for urgent action to address this issue and prevent further instances of identity theft. Highlighting the severity of the problem, India's Information Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, labeled deepfake videos as a "new threat to democracy." Vaishnaw recently chaired a meeting with social media platforms and artificial intelligence companies, during which he pledged that the government would develop a comprehensive plan to combat deepfakes. Mandanna, who has acted in multiple languages and received numerous awards for her performances, is set to appear alongside Ranbir Kapoor in the upcoming Bollywood film Animal.