Following the circulation of deepfake videos and images involving Rashmika Mandanna and Katrina Kaif, a new digitally manipulated video featuring Bollywood icon Kajol has emerged online. The clip showcases a woman, whose face has been digitally altered to resemble Kajol, apparently changing clothes on camera. However, fact-checking platforms such as BoomLive have revealed that the video is originally from an English social media influencer’s TikTok post as part of the ‘Get Ready With Me’ trend.
Despite creating a buzz on social media, several users were misled into believing that the individual changing outfits in the edited video was the renowned ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ actress herself. Investigations by BoomLive and other websites exposed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to manipulate and substitute a person’s face in videos and images, resulting in the creation of misleading content.
The original video, initially posted by influencer Rosie Breen on TikTok on June 5, 2023, as part of the ‘Get Ready With Me’ (GRWM) trend, underwent editing where Breen’s face was replaced with Kajol’s, giving the impression that the actress was showcasing clothing changes and revealing her body on camera.
This incident occurs amidst escalating concerns regarding deepfake technology following the circulation of altered images and videos involving popular actresses. In Katrina Kaif’s case, an altered image from her upcoming film ‘Tiger 3’ surfaced online, depicting the actress fighting a stuntwoman dressed in a towel. However, the manipulated version depicted her in a low-cut white top and matching bottom instead of the towel.
Similarly, Rashmika Mandanna became the subject of a deepfake video where a woman dressed in black was digitally altered to resemble the actor while entering a lift. Social media users flagged the video as fabricated, raising concerns about the rapid dissemination of “unreliable” information online. Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan called for legal action after the morphed video circulated, prompting a response from Rashmika Mandanna, who labeled the situation as “extremely scary.”
In response to Mandanna’s case, the Delhi Police filed an FIR against unknown individuals, later questioning a 19-year-old from Bihar under suspicion of being the first person to upload the video on social media.