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In a recent case of mistaken identity, Citadel: Honey Bunny actress Shruti Narayann found herself at the center of an unexpected controversy. The confusion arose when an alleged private video of Tamil actress, Shruthi Narayanan, went viral online, prompting a flurry of speculation and outrage across social media platforms.
Due to the striking similarity in their names, many netizens mistakenly linked Shruti Narayann—who starred alongside Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan in the super hit spy thriller—to the leaked video.
Instagram Clarification
However, the woman involved is not Shruti Narayann but another actress with a similar-sounding name, Shruthi Narayanan, known in Tamil film circles.
Taking to social media, Shruti Narayann firmly denied any involvement in the video and expressed her distress over the damage such misinformation could cause. “I’m appalled at how quickly false assumptions can spread online. I have nothing to do with the video, and I urge everyone to verify facts before drawing conclusions,” she wrote.
Shruthi Narayanan’s Saree Statement:
Meanwhile, in response to the video leak, Shruthi made her Instagram account private and later shared a video explaining how AI cloning works, subtly indicating that the viral footage was fabricated. She also posted images of herself in a saree with comments disabled, which fans interpreted as a silent yet powerful statement.
Shruthi has firmly denied the video's authenticity, stating that it was created using artificial intelligence (AI) and is a deepfake intended to tarnish her reputation. Since the incident, Shruthi Narayanan who had stayed away from the public glare, made her first public appearance at the trailer launch of her upcoming film Guts, appearing confident and composed amidst the controversy.
What Rules Say? Things to NOTE:
The Information Technology Intermediary Rules, Rule 3(1)(b)(vii) provides that social media intermediaries should observe due diligence including ensuring the rules and regulations, privacy policy... Under this provision, the responsibility is on social media platforms, which act like intermediaries under IT Rules, to ensure that the privacy of a person is protected.
Besides, Rule 3(2)(b) states that within 24 hours from the receipt of a complaint about any such content that falls in nature of impersonation on an electronic form, morphed images, shall take measures to remove or disable access to such content.
Moreover, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) contains provisions for defamation (Sections 499 and 500). It is worthwhile to mention that any deepfake video created with the intent to harm the reputation of a person by spreading false information, the affected individual can file a defamation suit against the creator.
