Original woman in Rashmika Mandanna's deepfake video reacts: 'I worry about the future of women and girls'

After Rashmika Mandanna's deepfake AI video went viral, the original woman behind the video reacted to the matter and expressed her concerns regarding the plight of women and girls.

Hyderabad: Actor Rashmika Mandanna on Monday voiced her outrage over a widely circulated deepfake video in which her face has been digitally superimposed onto another woman's face. The woman is identified as Zara Patel, a British Indian social media influencer, who took to her Instagram handle to share a statement denying any involvement in the controversy, stating that she is "deeply disturbed and upset" by the situation.

Original woman in Rashmika Mandanna's deepfake video reacts

In her Instagram story, Zara voices her concern about the increased fear women and girls now face when it comes to sharing their presence on social media platforms. She penned, "Hi all, it has come to my attention that someone created a deepfake video using my body and a popular Bollywood actress's face. I had no involvement with the deepfake video, and I'm deeply disturbed and upset by what is happening. I worry about the future of women and girls who now have to fear even more about putting themselves on social media. Please take a step back and fact-check what you see on the internet. Not everything on the internet is real. I'm deeply upset by what is happening. (sic)"

The real video showcases Zara Patel inside an elevator dressed in a black workout jumpsuit. In the viral video, Zara's facial features have been edited using AI technology to resemble Rashmika. Notable actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Mrunal Thakur, Naga Chaitanya, and Chinmayi Sripaada, among others, have come forward for Rashmika, lending their support and speaking out about the unscrupulous exploitation of artificial intelligence (AI).