Aamir Khan files FIR against Congress over alleged deepfake political ad

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has taken legal action against the Indian National Congress (INC) regarding a fake political advertisement circulating on social media. Khan filed an FIR with the Mumbai Police concerning the alleged use of a deepfake video of him endorsing the Congress party.

The disputed advertisement, targeting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), features a deepfake video purportedly depicting Khan. Utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the video inserts Khan into a scene from a decade-old episode of his television show, ‘Satyamev Jayate’. In the ad, Aamir Khan can be seen criticizing the BJP’s promise of depositing Rs 15 lakh into citizens’ bank accounts.

In response, a spokesperson for Aamir Khan made it clear: “We want to clarify that Mr. Aamir Khan has never endorsed any political party throughout his 35-year career. He has dedicated his efforts to raising public awareness through Election Commission public awareness campaigns for many past elections.”

The spokesperson confirmed Khan’s commitment to raising public awareness through non-partisan platforms. Denouncing the deepfake video as false and misleading, the spokesperson asserted Khan’s intention to pursue legal recourse.

The actor has reported the matter to legal authorities, including the Cyber Crime Cell of the Mumbai Police. Aamir Khan’s official spokesperson released a statement that read, “We want to clarify that Mr. Aamir Khan has never endorsed any political party throughout his 35-year career. He has dedicated his efforts to raising public awareness through Election Commission public awareness campaigns for many past elections. We are alarmed by the recent viral video alleging that Aamir Khan is promoting a particular political party. He would like to clarify that this is a fake video and totally untrue. He has reported the matter to various authorities related to this issue, including filing an FIR with the Cyber Crime Cell of the Mumbai Police. Mr. Khan would like to urge all Indians to come out and vote and be an active part of our electoral process.”