Manchu Vishnu Warns Against AI Deepfakes and Pre-Release Negativity in Tollywood

MAA President Manchu Vishnu has strongly reacted to the growing issue of AI-generated deepfake videos, calling the recent controversy not just an isolated incident but a warning about the risks the film industry could face in the future. Referring to comments made by Ram Pothineni on deepfakes and his suggestion of linking online accounts with Aadhaar, Vishnu said the idea deserves serious discussion. He stressed that freedom of expression must always be respected, but it should not become a tool for anonymous harassment or the misuse of another person’s identity. Vishnu said simply removing a video or filing a complaint cannot completely solve the problem. He called for the Telugu Film Chamber, Producers Council, Movie Artists Association and other industry bodies to work together and establish a permanent mechanism to tackle AI deepfakes and coordinated online attacks against films and artists.

Vishnu also spoke about deliberate negative campaigns targeting movies, actors and directors even before a film reaches theatres. He said criticism, reviews and trolling are part of the film industry, but attempting to damage a movie before audiences even get a chance to watch it is unacceptable. Referring to the The Paradise team approaching the court over such concerns, he said the success or failure of one film should not be used to define the entire Telugu film industry. As MAA president, Vishnu said the association is taking the issue seriously and is collecting information about accounts that misuse actors’ photographs, create obscene content and deliberately mislead the public. He concluded with a message of unity: the industry can compete at the box office every Friday, but people within it should not spend the rest of the week trying to destroy one another.