‘Arjun Reddy’ star Shalini Pandey furious over fake AI video: ‘I strongly condemn this’

Highlights

• Shalini Pandey has spoken out after a fake AI-generated video falsely appeared to show her in an intimate situation.
• The Arjun Reddy star has urged people not to share, download or engage with the fabricated clip.
• Pandey called the misuse of technology “deeply disturbing” and condemned the targeting of women through manipulated content.

Shalini Pandey calls out fake AI video

Shalini Pandey has broken her silence after a fabricated AI-generated video falsely depicting her began circulating on social media.

The actor, best known for her role in the 2017 Telugu blockbuster Arjun Reddy, made it clear that the video is not real and does not feature her. Taking to Instagram on Monday, Pandey directly addressed the clip and criticised the misuse of artificial intelligence to target individuals online.

“I want to address a fake, AI-generated video of me that is currently being circulated online. The video is completely fabricated and does not depict me,” she said.

Calling the incident “deeply disturbing”, Pandey added that technology should not be misused to harm people, particularly women.

‘I strongly condemn this kind of abuse’

Pandey did not mince words about the incident, saying she “strongly” condemns the abuse and warning against treating such misuse of technology as normal.

“I strongly condemn this kind of abuse and believe such misuse of technology should never be normalised,” she said.

Rather than giving the fabricated video more attention, the actor asked social media users to help stop its circulation.

“If you come across this video, please do not share, forward, download, or engage with it. Instead, please report it immediately,” Pandey urged.

Her appeal also placed responsibility on viewers, asking them to think carefully before interacting with manipulated content that can cause further harm to the person being targeted.

Why AI manipulation is raising alarm

Pandey’s statement comes amid growing concerns over the use of generative AI and digital manipulation to create convincing fake footage of real people.

Such technology can be used to place a person's likeness into situations they never participated in, creating serious concerns around consent, privacy and online harassment. Women and public figures have increasingly found themselves at the centre of this problem, with fabricated material capable of spreading rapidly before it can be challenged.

By publicly identifying the video as fake and asking people not to amplify it, Pandey has attempted to shift attention away from the fabricated content and towards the wider problem of digital abuse.

From Arjun Reddy to recent releases

Pandey made her acting debut with Arjun Reddy in 2017, a performance that brought her widespread attention. She later appeared in films including Jayeshbhai Jordaar and Maharaj.

More recently, she was seen in Rahu Ketu, alongside Varun Sharma and Pulkit Samrat.

For Pandey, the latest incident is not simply about a fake video. Her response has highlighted the consequences of giving manipulated content further reach, while calling for greater responsibility from audiences encountering such material online.