The Indian film industry is debating the circulation of an AI-morphed video linked to “Chuttamalle,” a song from the film Devara starring Janhvi Kapoor and Jr NTR. The actors condemned the use of artificial intelligence to create degrading material without consent. Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma offered a different concern: in his view, public statements by celebrities may have increased the audience for the link.
Varma told the Times of India that the stars’ reactions helped more people see what he called an “objectionable link,” and argued that attention should instead focus on identifying and catching the person who created and circulated the material. He also said the discussion drew unnecessary attention to the victim’s identity and the content itself. The video is not described or reproduced here.
Jr NTR condemned the use of AI to disrespect a woman and warned of legal action against those who created or shared the material. Kapoor described the use of technology to objectify a woman and circulate fictionalised content without consent as deeply violating. She urged people to respect her image, boundaries and choice.
The disagreement is not over whether such material is acceptable, but how public figures and platforms can respond without amplifying it. Varma’s comments have added another dimension to a wider debate over deepfakes, platform responsibility and protections against non-consensual digital impersonation.