Vishnu Manchu Calls for Industry-Wide System Against Deepfakes and Online Abuse

Dynamic Star and Movie Artistes Association (MAA) President Vishnu Manchu has strongly reacted to the recent AI deepfake controversy involving the manipulated version of the popular ‘Chuttamalle’ song featuring NTR and Janhvi Kapoor.

Vishnu Manchu said the incident should not be treated as an isolated case but as a warning about the growing dangers of unchecked digital abuse and online anonymity.

Quoting Ram Pothineni’s observation , “They’re faceless, so they’re fearless,” Vishnu said the idea of Aadhaar-linked accountability for online identities deserves serious consideration. He stressed that freedom of expression must be protected, but anonymity should never become a tool to abuse, defame or deliberately target individuals.

He also raised concerns over organised negativity targeting films, actors and filmmakers, drawing a distinction between genuine criticism and coordinated attempts to damage a film even before audiences get an opportunity to watch it.

Referring to Sundeep Kishan’s recent comments and The Paradise approaching the court before its release, Vishnu said:

“Behind every film are years of work, hundreds of families and producers risking enormous amounts of money.”

He urged audiences to watch a film before forming an opinion and said everyone has the right to love it, dislike it or criticise it. However, filmmakers should first be given the opportunity to present their work to the audience.

“LET THE FILM RELEASE,” he said.

Vishnu also expressed concern over fan groups targeting one another, anonymous social media pages claiming neutrality, and accounts allegedly using actors’ photographs while engaging in activities those actors may not support.

“The cake is big enough for everyone to have a piece,” he said, stressing that the failure of one Telugu film does not mean the success of another.

As MAA President, Vishnu revealed that the association is compiling information on accounts and networks repeatedly involved in targeted abuse and malicious campaigns, including those allegedly misusing actors’ photographs and identities.

He clarified that the objective is not to suppress criticism, but to establish accountability.

Vishnu further stressed that the latest deepfake controversy highlights the urgent need for an industry-wide system to prevent such incidents, protect individuals from digital abuse and ensure accountability in the online space.