4 min readHyderabadUpdated: May 23, 2026 03:24 PM IST
Actor Rukmini Vasanth has reacted to viral images circulating online that falsely claimed to show her in a bikini photoshoot, clarifying that the visuals were AI-generated and “entirely fake and fabricated.”
The images began spreading across X, Instagram and Facebook on Friday evening, with several accounts presenting them as genuine. A video also surfaced showing a woman resembling the actor near a swimming pool alongside what appeared to be a camera crew, lending the manipulated content a misleading sense of authenticity.
Many users believed the images were real. Many others flagged them as suspicious. By Saturday morning, Rukmini Vasanth issued a statement, clarifying about the images, “My team and I have come across certain AI-generated images being circulated online claiming to be me,” she wrote in a statement posted to her Instagram story. “I want to state clearly that these images are entirely fake and fabricated. The creation and circulation of such manipulated content is deeply irresponsible and a serious violation of privacy. We are taking this matter seriously and initiating the necessary legal and cybercrime action against those involved in creating and spreading these images. Requesting everyone to refrain from sharing or engaging with such content.”
My team and I have come across certain AI-generated images being circulated online claiming to be me.
I want to state clearly that these images are entirely fake and fabricated.
The creation and circulation of such manipulated content is deeply irresponsible and a serious… pic.twitter.com/8iitXTvFvT
— rukmini (@rukminitweets) May 23, 2026
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Who is Rukmini Vasanth
Rukmini Vasanth is a Bengaluru-born actress who works primarily in Kannada cinema and has in recent years expanded into other South Indian film industries.
She made her acting debut in Kannada cinema and built a steady reputation through a series of well-received performances before her career took a significant turn with Kantara: Chapter 1 in 2025, directed by Rishab Shetty, which brought her recognition well beyond the Kannada film industry. Before that, she was applauded for her performance in Sapta Saagaradaache Ello — Side A (2023), opposite Rakshit Shetty. Rukmini’s upcoming film is Toxic, starring Yash and directed by Geetu Mohandas and Dragon, starring Jr NTR and directed by Prashanth Neel.
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Her growing visibility across South Indian cinema has made her a prominent figure online, and it is precisely that visibility that appears to have made her a target for AI-generated content of this kind.
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Not the first time
Rukmini is the latest in a growing list of Indian actresses who have had to publicly deny and respond to AI-generated or deepfaked content circulated without their knowledge or consent.
The case that set the national conversation in motion was Rashmika Mandanna’s in October 2023. A video went viral showing a woman in revealing clothing entering an elevator, the face had been digitally replaced with Rashmika’s, using the footage of British-Indian influencer Zara Patel as the base.
Around the same time, Katrina Kaif was targeted with morphed and AI-altered images. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology responded to the wave of incidents by issuing advisories to social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, directing them to remove AI-generated fake content within 24 hours and reminding them of their obligations under the IT Rules. Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly described deepfakes as problematic in the aftermath of the Rashmika incident.
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