Film director Ram Gopal Varma has released an AI-generated video of actors Mahesh Babu and SS Rajamouli having a staged argument inside a cafe, sparking a new debate on artificial intelligence in films. The clip, posted on Instagram with the caption “movies are dead,” quickly went viral, drawing both humor and concern from users.
The video comes as the actor-director duo is working on the much-awaited film ‘Varanasi’, which is being considered as Tollywood’s next big project which will have a global response.
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Meanwhile, users in the comments section did not hesitate to draw humor from it. A user commented, “MB needs to show more expression during the Varanasi shoot.”
The tweet also polarized users on the issue of AI in filmmaking, with some arguing that talented filmmakers would continue to work, while others argued that the impact would be felt across the board.
Celebrities warn of growing AI abuse
The video also raised other concerns about deepfake content targeting celebrities in the film industry. Over the years, many celebrities have expressed concern about the rise of deepfake content.
Actress Ayesha Khan recently spoke about the issue in an interview with Pinkvilla and revealed that AI-generated morphed visuals of her were circulating online.
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Recalling the time she once encountered a fake video in which her mother appeared, she said the experience was disturbing and emotionally difficult.
“The AI movement that has started is very frightening. You have created an entire app to sexualize women on the internet… No human being can process this information that this is happening. There was a photo of me and Mr. Vijay… it was converted into an AI video of us hugging each other. I had to tell her that this has never happened before,” she said.
Deepfake incident raises industry concerns
Concerns about the misuse of AI intensified after Rashmika Mandana’s deepfake video went viral in 2023, sparking a broader debate about digital consent and online safety.
Actors including Keerthy Suresh have also spoken about the need to use AI tools responsibly as technology evolves rapidly.
As AI-generated visuals become increasingly realistic across social media, the film industry continues to grapple with the balance between technological innovation and protecting celebrity identities.
Earlier, several celebrities, including actors Amitabh Bachchan, Kajol, self-proclaimed holy man Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, moved the Indian judiciary, seeking moral and publicity rights to prevent their images from being misused.
