Maharashtra police's cyber cell has initiated legal action against an X user for allegedly sharing a manipulated video featuring actor Ranveer Singh advocating for a political party. The deepfake video, which surfaced online, purportedly depicted Singh endorsing the Congress party, contrary to his actual statements praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a media interview in Varanasi.

The complaint outlines the fabricated content attributed to Singh, emphasizing the misrepresentation of his views on political matters. Singh's father, disavowing any political affiliations on behalf of the actor, highlighted the deceitful nature of the circulated video.

The FIR, filed under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, underscores the severity of the offense, encompassing charges of cheating, forgery, and defamation. Investigations into the case are ongoing as authorities delve into the proliferation of deepfake content, which poses significant challenges in discerning truth from manipulation.

This incident follows a similar instance involving a deepfake video featuring Bollywood star Aamir Khan, further underscoring the growing threat posed by digitally altered media in misrepresenting public figures for malicious intent.