Chiranjeevi lodges complaint with Hyderabad Police over AI-generated deepfake videos

HYDERABAD: Actor Chiranjeevi has lodged a complaint with the Hyderabad Cybercrime Police after AI-generated deepfake videos featuring him in obscene content surfaced on pornographic websites, officials said on Monday.

Based on his complaint, the police have registered a case under Sections 67 and 67A of the IT Act, Sections 79, 294, 296 and 336(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Sections 2(c), 3 and 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.

In his complaint, Chiranjeevi said that the circulation of AI-generated deepfake pornographic content has caused “severe and irreparable harm” to his hard-earned reputation.

“These manufactured videos are being maliciously used to portray me in obscene and vulgar contexts, thereby distorting public perception and undermining decades of goodwill. Such acts not only inflict personal and emotional distress upon me and my loved ones but also mislead the general public by creating a false and defamatory narrative that contradicts my true character and public image,” Chiranjeevi said in his complaint to the police.

He urged the authorities to initiate an immediate criminal and technical investigation against those involved in creating, uploading, and disseminating the fake videos.

Chiranjeevi also sought urgent blocking and removal of the fabricated content from the internet, including mirror and affiliated websites.

Notably, the Hyderabad City Civil Court recently granted an injunction protecting Chiranjeevi’s personality rights, barring unauthorised use of his name, image, or voice.

“The Court of the Chief Judge, City Civil Court, Hyderabad, through Order dated 26th September 2025, in I.A. No.6275 of 2025 in O.S.No.441 of 2025, has granted an ad-interim injunction in favour of renowned film actor Chiranjeevi. Chiranjeevi, whose distinguished career spans over four decades and includes numerous honours such as the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, sought the court’s intervention to stop widespread unpermitted usage of his identity on merchandise, online platforms, and through the application of artificial intelligence technologies,” a statement issued by the legal Team of Megastar Chiranjeevi read.

According to the statement, the court recognised Chiranjeevi as one of the most iconic personalities in the Indian film industry, whose reputation and public esteem have suffered due to the defendant parties’ actions–specifically naming, image use, video memes, and merchandise sales without consent.

The order emphasises that such exploitation and misrepresentation, primarily through digital and AI mediums, pose severe, irreparable harm to Chiranjeevi’s reputation and economic interests. The injunction restrains defendants from directly or indirectly using Chiranjeevi’s name, stage titles (including ‘MEGA STAR’, ‘CHIRU’, and ‘ANNAYYA’), voice, image, or any other exclusive personality attribute for any commercial or personal gain, across all formats and media, it said.

The order also directs that urgent notification be sent to all respondents, with further proceedings scheduled for October 27, 2025. Any infringement of personality or publicity rights, or any act of defamation, will incur severe consequences under both civil and criminal law, said the statement.

According to the order by City Civil Court in Hyderabad, all persons and entities including but not limited to television channels, digital platforms and media organisations are expressly cautioned that direct or indirect use, misrepresentation, or distortion of Chiranjeevi’s name, image, voice, likeness, or personality attributes for the purpose of increasing viewership, enhancing TRPs, or deriving any commercial or reputational benefit, without explicit written consent of the actor, will be met with the strictest remedies available under law, ensuring robust enforcement of rights and protection against reputational harm.

According to the statement, on October 11, 2025, Chiranjeevi met Sajjanar, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, and personally handed over a copy of the Court Order to him. During the meeting, Chiranjeevi sought Sajjanar’s advice regarding the process of setting criminal law into motion in this context.

The two engaged in a constructive discussion on the need for penal laws to be made fiercer and more coercive to effectively address and deter such violations, reflecting Chiranjeevi’s commitment to combating unauthorised exploitation of personality rights and also invasion of privacy, it said.

Sajjanar reiterated that the legal action taken by Chiranjeevi serves to reinforce the importance of personality and publicity rights within the Indian entertainment industry, ensuring respect for the individual’s reputation and intellectual property, it added. (ANI)