MAA President Vishnu Manchu Calls for ‘A System’ to Tackle AI Deepfakes, Online Abuse and Targeted Negativity

MAA President Vishnu Manchu has spoken out on the disturbing AI deepfake incident that has angered the film industry, calling it a warning and urging the Telugu film industry to create a permanent system to address AI deepfakes, impersonation and coordinated online campaigns.

Taking to X, Manchu wrote, “The disturbing AI deepfake incident that has rightly angered our industry should not be looked at as an isolated incident. It is a warning.”

Referring to Ram Pothineni’s comments on online anonymity, he added, “They’re faceless, so they’re fearless.” Manchu said Pothineni’s suggestion of Aadhaar-linked accountability for online identities “deserves serious discussion.”

“Freedom of expression must always be protected. But anonymity cannot become a weapon to abuse, defame, sexually violate or deliberately destroy someone,” he wrote.

Manchu also expanded his concerns beyond deepfakes, writing, “For quite some time, I have been concerned about organised and targeted negativity against films, actors and filmmakers within our own industry.” He added, “A film should succeed or fail because audiences watch it and decide. Criticism, reviews, trolling and disagreement are part of cinema today. But a coordinated campaign to damage a film before audiences have even seen it is not criticism. It is sabotage.”

Referring to Sundeep Kishan and The Paradise, Manchu wrote, “Sundeep Kishan recently spoke publicly about targeted, paid negativity against him and his film even before its release. The Paradise had to approach a court before release seeking protection against defamatory and damaging content.”

He further stated, “Behind every film are years of work, hundreds of families and producers risking enormous amount of money.”

Urging audiences to make their own decisions, Manchu wrote, “Watch the film. Love it. Hate it. Criticise it brutally if you genuinely feel that way. But first, LET THE FILM RELEASE.”

He also raised concerns about “fan groups fighting fan groups, anonymous pages pretending to be neutral, and accounts using photographs of actors as their DPs while behaving in ways those actors may never endorse.”

As MAA President, he said, “MAA is compiling information on accounts and networks repeatedly involved in targeted abuse and malicious campaigns, including accounts misusing actors’ photographs and identities to mislead people. This is NOT about stopping criticism. It is about accountability,” he added.

Calling for the Telugu Film Chamber, Producers Council, MAA and all stakeholders to “sit together and create a permanent industry-wide mechanism,” Manchu concluded: “Not another meeting that ends with a photograph. Not another phone call. A SYSTEM.” “We may compete every Friday. But we cannot spend the rest of the week trying to destroy one another. Let audiences decide the fate of our films. Let cinema win.”