A few days ago, an AI generated video of Akshay Kumar playing the role of Maharshi Valmiki in a movie, was being circulated online. However, the actor had taken a strong stance against it. He took to his social media and wrote, “I have recently come across some AI-generated videos of a film trailer showing me in the role of Maharishi Valmiki. I want to clarify that all such videos are fake and created using AI.”Meanwhile now, the Bombay High Court has ordered the removal of this video, calling it ‘truly alarming’. The Bombay High Court has underlined the urgent need to clamp down on deepfake content targeting actor Akshay Kumar, stressing that swift intervention is necessary to protect both the individual and the wider public.In an order released on Thursday, Justice Arif Doctor remarked, “such content needs to be removed from the public domain immediately, not only in the interest of the actor but also in the larger public interest.” While examining the actor’s lawsuit, the judge drew attention to the unnerving sophistication of AI-generated media.“What is truly alarming in a number of these cases is the realistic nature of deepfake images and videos being created using AI,” Justice Doctor said. “Both in the context of images and videos, the morphing is so sophisticated and deceptive that it is virtually impossible to discern that they are not genuine images or videos of the Plaintiff (Akshay).” The court referred to a particularly disturbing deepfake video in which the actor appeared to make communal remarks and comments about Rishi Valmiki, calling the situation “deeply concerning.”Justice Doctor further cautioned about the potential fallout from such content, noting, “The consequences that can arise from such content being disseminated are indeed most grave and serious. Apart from violating and affecting the Plaintiff’s personality and moral rights, such videos also pose a grave threat to the safety and well-being of the Plaintiff’s family members and can also have an adverse and widespread impact on society and public order, which clearly appears to be the agenda of those who create such content.”The observations were made after hearing senior counsel Birendra Saraf, who represented the actor, highlighting the court’s serious concern over the growing threat of AI-manipulated media.
