NEW DELHI: A fake video of a Bollywood actor purporting to show her wearing a low-cut top has triggered calls for AI regulation in India, where past false social media posts have stoked sectarian divisions.
Rashmika Mandanna told her 4.7 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, that she was “really hurt” after a manipulated video showing her face on the body of another woman was widely circulated on social media, sparking outrage from government and fellow Bollywood stars.
“We need to address this as a community and with urgency before more of us are affected by such identity theft,” Mandanna wrote, calling it “extremely scary” how vulnerable all are to technology being misused.
Social media is hugely popular in India, the world’s largest democracy, but inflammatory posts peddling lies have stoked political divides and have been accused of inciting deadly religious riots.
In 2018, a prominent female journalist and critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was harassed when edited videos of her face placed on top of naked women were widely circulated.
Like much of the world, artificial intelligence is not regulated in India and the government has put the onus of blocking online misinformation on social media platforms.
Staged videos peddling disinformation and fanning sectarian tensions garner millions of views in India, which has seen rising Hindu radicalization under Modi’s government.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India’s information technology minister, wrote on X on Monday that such deep fake videos were “dangerous and damaging” forms of misinformation, but warned that they must “be dealt with by platforms.”
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan called it a “strong case” for action.
Mandanna added that she was thankful for “my family, friends and well-wishers who are my protection and support system.”
“But if this happened to me when I was in school or college, I genuinely can’t imagine how could I ever tackle this.”
Videos with manipulated images have proliferated online worldwide, damaging reputations.
Some 96 percent of deep fake videos online are non-consensual pornography, and most of them depict women, according to a 2019 study by the Dutch AI company Sensity.
British-Indian Instagram influencer Zara Patel, whose body was featured in the fake video with Mandanna’s face, said she was not involved in its creation and was also “deeply disturbed and upset” by it.
“I worry about the future of women and girls who now have to fear even more about putting themselves on social media,” Patel said in a post to her 450,000 fans.
Fake Bollywood video highlights AI worries in India
https://arab.news/p6xq3
Fake Bollywood video highlights AI worries in India
- A manipulated video of Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna was widely circulated on social media in recent days
- Inflammatory social media posts peddling lies in India have stoked political divides and incited deadly religious riots
Amr Diab and Sherine top Spotify list of 2025 MENA artists
- Egyptian stars and icon Fairuz continue to resonate in region
- Artists shaping rap, mahraganat, hybrid sounds feature
DUBAI: Spotify has released its list of the Top Middle East and North Africa artists and songs globally, shaped by streams from listeners both inside and outside the region, offering a snapshot of how MENA music travelled in 2025.
Topping the global MENA artists list is Amr Diab, a mainstay of Arab pop. He also led Egypt’s Wrapped this year, while his catalogue — spanning both older hits and newer releases — continued to draw sustained global engagement.
The return of “Tamally Maak” to the global Top Tracks list underlines the lasting appeal of his music across generations.
Sherine is one of the year’s most emotionally resonant voices with four tracks in the global Top 10. Her classics “Kalam Eineh,” “El Watar El Hassas” and “3la Bali,” alongside her newer release “Btmanna Ansak,” reached listeners from Egypt to Germany and the UK.
Spotify data shows her catalogue maintaining a strong, personal connection with audiences throughout 2025.
Regional classics also featured prominently. Nancy Ajram’s early-2000s hit “Ya Tabtab Wa Dallaa” found renewed popularity in markets including Indonesia and Turkiye, while Khaled’s “C’est la vie” continued to cross borders, resonating with listeners from France to India.
Fairuz remained a fixture in daily listening habits, anchoring morning and coffee playlists across the Arab world and the diaspora.
Beyond pop, artists shaping rap, mahraganat and hybrid sounds maintained strong global visibility.
ElGrandeToto, Morocco’s Top Artist on Spotify from 2020 to 2025, continued to spotlight the evolution of Moroccan hip-hop, which in 2025 blended rai, chaabi and local rhythms with trap influences.
His collaboration with Spanish-Moroccan rapper Morad, “Ojos Sin Ver,” featured on the global MENA Top Tracks list, highlighting the genre’s cross-regional and European appeal.
Egyptian rapper Marwan Pablo also remained a prominent global presence, recognized for his introspective approach within the country’s hip-hop scene.
Mahraganat artists Essam Sasa and Eslam Kabonga appeared in the global rankings as well, underscoring the genre’s expanding reach beyond its local roots.
The global MENA Top Tracks list included “KALAMANTINA,” a collaboration between Saint Levant and Marwan Moussa that blends hip-hop and pop within a hybrid electro-shaabi sound.
