Vijay Deverakonda backs Jr NTR, calls Chuttamalle deepfake 'digital sexual assault'

The outrage over an AI-morphed video of Janhvi Kapoor from Chuttamalle has now reached actor Vijay Deverakonda. After Jr NTR called out the clip and threatened legal action, Vijay responded to his co-star’s post, describing the situation as deeply upsetting and calling for the people behind it to face the harshest possible consequences.“We have stooped to the levels of absolute lowlife,” Vijay wrote, adding that those responsible “should not be spared”. He said they should face the harshest possible legal consequences and be made an example of.Vijay also questioned what had made people so insensitive to the humiliation of others. “When did we become so insensitive to each other?” he asked, going on to question what kind of parenting and society allowed people to find joy in degrading someone else.His strongest words, however, were reserved for the misuse of AI. At a time when much of the world is debating whether artificial intelligence could disrupt livelihoods and replace jobs, Vijay pointed out that some people were using the technology for what he called “utter nonsense”. “This is the digital equivalent of sexual assault. The law must treat such acts with utmost seriousness,” he wrote. Vijay also extended his full support to those who had spoken up against the clip.See his post here:Jr NTR had already warned the makersVijay’s reaction came after Jr NTR himself broke his silence on the video. The actor described the clip as “disgusting, sick and shameless” and said he’d pursue legal action against both the people who created it and those circulating it.Jr NTR also asked people not to watch, share or engage with the material. Calling the issue a serious one, he urged state governments and the Government of India to introduce stricter regulations against the misuse of AI.Addressing those behind the altered Chuttamalle video, he wrote, “I will not spare any of you,” and said he’d take every possible legal action against them.He also highlighted the deeply personal nature of such abuse, warning that while the victim may be “someone else” today, it could involve someone’s “mother, sister, wife or daughter” tomorrow.Here's what he wrote: Chinmayi Sripada calls out those asking for the clipSinger Chinmayi Sripada also criticised the reaction surrounding the video, particularly people openly asking for its link online.“Someone has made an AI Deep Fake video of an actress and men are thirsting under this page for the link of the video (sic),” she wrote.Chinmayi went on to condemn what she described as a disturbing attitude towards consent, writing, “The rape culture in these Indian men is disgusting; no wonder they rage and rant when people talk about consent.”The comments from all three came as the manipulated clip continued to circulate on X. The original footage, of course, is very different from what has been created using AI.Read her post here:The song at the centre of the controversyChuttamalle is the romantic song from Devara: Part 1 featuring Janhvi and Jr NTR. Released in 2024, the track shows Janhvi’s character Thangam falling for Jr NTR’s character against beach and other outdoor settings.The 3-minute-44-second song features Janhvi in traditional attire and Jr NTR in more contemporary clothes as the two characters share romantic moments. Its popularity also made it one of the most recognisable songs from the film.Anirudh Ravichander composed the track, with Shilpa Rao on vocals and Bosco Martis as choreographer. The song was released in multiple languages, with different titles across versions: Chuttamalle in Telugu, Dheere Dheere in Hindi, Paththavaikkum in Tamil, Swaathimutthe Sikkangaithe in Kannada and Kanninathan Kamanottam in Malayalam. Devara: Part 1, directed by Koratala Siva, starred Jr NTR alongside Janhvi Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan. The film released in September 2024 and marked Janhvi’s Telugu debut.- Ends