Chuttamalle AI deepfake controversy: Jr NTR, Vijay Deverakonda demand legal action

Background: the song and the film

Chuttamalle is a romantic track from the Telugu blockbuster Devara: Part 1, released in theatres on 27 September 2024. The song was composed by Anirudh Ravichander, written by Ramajogayya Sastry and sung by Shilpa Rao, and it features Janhvi Kapoor alongside Jr NTR in scenic beach and forest locations.

The deepfake incident

On 3 October 2026 an AI‑generated clip began circulating on social media. The clip superimposes Janhvi Kapoor’s face onto sexually explicit imagery that never existed in the original music video. The manipulation is a classic non‑consensual deepfake, created with generative‑AI tools that can produce realistic face‑swaps in minutes.

Celebrity reactions

Jr NTR responded on X the same day, calling the morphed video Disgusting, Sick and Shameless and warning that such misuse of technology disrespects women in a culture that venerates them as mothers and goddesses. He pledged to pursue every possible legal action against creators and distributors and urged the public not to watch or share the material (The Hindu).

Vijay Deverakonda quoted Jr NTR’s post and labelled the act the digital equivalent of sexual assault, demanding that The law must treat such acts with utmost seriousness and backing a push for stricter AI regulation (AP7AM). Janhvi Kapoor also posted on X, describing the fake videos as disturbing and confirming that legal steps would follow.

Public interest and search data

Google Trends recorded a roughly 900 percent increase in searches for “chuttamalle song ai version” in India over the past 24 hours, with an estimated 10 000 queries (Google Trends). The spike reflects widespread curiosity rather than confirmation of the video’s reach.

Legal and regulatory outlook

Jr NTR appealed to both state and central governments to enact stringent rules against AI misuse, echoing a growing demand for amendments to the Information Technology Act and the 2021 IT Rules that govern intermediary liability. While the actors have threatened litigation, no formal police complaint or court filing has been publicly confirmed as of 3 October 2026. Platforms such as X, Instagram and YouTube are expected to act under existing takedown obligations, but compliance reports are still pending.

What to watch next

• Official police FIRs or court petitions from the actors’ legal teams.
• Statements from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on possible legislative changes.
• Platform transparency reports showing removal of the deepfake clip.