Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Telugu film stars Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan that the government will urgently examine the misuse of AI deepfake technology against artists and work towards stronger safeguards and strict penalties. The actors raised the issue when they hosted Shah at their residence in Hyderabad on 2 November 2026, in a meeting also attended by Union Minister G Kishan Reddy.

Chiranjeevi said he shared his “deep concerns about the misuse of AI and deepfake technologies, which pose a serious threat to artists’ rights, dignity and creative content.” According to the actor, Shah advised the film fraternity to submit a written representation and asked Kishan Reddy to coordinate the matter. Chiranjeevi called the assurance “an encouraging step for the film fraternity”.

Why AI deepfake misuse worries the film industry

Generative AI tools can now clone a well-known face or voice from a few minutes of public footage. For actors, that means fake endorsements, morphed videos and synthetic performances that use their likeness without consent or payment. Ram Charan said the meeting focused on “the growing misuse of AI and deepfake technologies and the serious impact they have on artists and our industry”.

The concern is not new in India. A deepfake video of actor Rashmika Mandanna went viral in 2023, and Delhi Police arrested a 24-year-old from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, in January 2024 for creating and uploading it. Since then, many actors across languages have reported fake videos and AI-generated content using their identity.

Where India’s AI rules stand

The meeting comes as the Centre prepares a dedicated AI law. Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said India’s draft AI regulation consultation paper is likely by November, and officials are weighing pre-release safety checks for frontier AI models. The government is also considering separate rules for AI platforms classed as ‘AI intermediaries’, which would decide how much responsibility platforms carry for harmful AI content.

Creators’ rights are a parallel debate. Indian publishers have pushed for more than the shared AI training opt-out signal backed by OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and Anthropic. A formal representation from the film industry would add actors’ likeness and voice to that conversation. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is the nodal ministry for India’s IT and AI rules.

Key takeaways

• Assurance: Amit Shah told Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan the government would urgently examine AI deepfake misuse and work on stronger safeguards and strict penalties.
• Next step: the film fraternity has been asked to submit a written representation, with G Kishan Reddy coordinating.
• Policy context: the request lands as India readies a consultation paper on a dedicated AI law.

FAQ

Why did Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan meet Amit Shah?

They met the Union Home Minister in Hyderabad on 2 November 2026 to raise concerns about the misuse of AI and deepfake technology against artists’ rights, dignity and creative work.

What did Amit Shah promise on AI deepfakes?

According to Chiranjeevi, Shah assured them the government would examine the matter urgently and work towards stronger safeguards and strict penalties, and asked them to submit a written representation.

Who will coordinate the film industry’s AI deepfake concerns?

Chiranjeevi said Shah entrusted Union Minister G Kishan Reddy with coordinating the matter.

Featured image: Ram Charan, Amit Shah and Chiranjeevi in Hyderabad. Photo: X/@AlwaysRamCharan

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