Veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has strongly reacted to a fake AI-generated video circulating on social media that falsely claims he has “turned to God”. Calling the video misleading and defamatory, Akhtar has said he is seriously considering taking legal action against those behind it.
Early on Friday, Akhtar took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the controversy after a deepfake video showed a computer-generated image of him wearing a skull cap. The video carried claims about his religious beliefs, which the lyricist categorically denied.
Sharing a link to the video, originally posted on Facebook, Akhtar expressed his anger over the misuse of artificial intelligence. In one of his posts, he described the clip as “rubbish” and said it was deliberately created to spread false information. He further stated that such content damages his credibility and public image.
Akhtar added that he is considering reporting the matter to the cyber police and may drag those responsible including individuals who forwarded the video to court. He emphasised that circulating fake visuals with misleading narratives is unacceptable and harmful.
The deepfake surfaced shortly after Akhtar participated in a public discussion titled ‘Does God Exist?’ with Islamic scholar Mufti Shamail Nadwi at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi. The timing of the video has raised concerns about how AI-generated content is being weaponised following public debates.
Akhtar’s reaction comes days after actor-politician Kangana Ranaut also spoke out against AI-generated images misrepresenting her, highlighting growing concerns over deepfakes and misinformation.
