Renowned actor Anup Soni recently fell victim to a deepfake video that falsely promoted Indian Premier League (IPL) betting using clips from his popular show, Crime Patrol. The video, which quickly went viral, utilized artificial intelligence (AI) technology to mimic Soni’s voice convincingly. This led viewers to mistakenly believe that the actor was endorsing betting activities. Following the widespread circulation of this deceptive video, Soni issued a statement condemning the act.
Deepfake, a term derived from “deep learning” and “fake,” are deceptive imitations of real people created using AI to manipulate video or audio content. In Soni’s case, his likeness was exploited to endorse illegal activities, causing distress and raising concerns about the potential impact on celebrities’ reputations. The deepfake video in question encouraged online users to join Telegram groups and quickly went viral.
The video incorporates clips from Crime Patrol, the long-running show hosted by Soni. In the video, Soni’s AI-generated voice can be heard saying, “I am going to tell you about a person whose name makes bookies tremble because he has passed 39 matches back to back. Rohit Khattar, who is the biggest cricket fixer, has gone to jail for fixing big matches. Join his Telegram.”
In response to the viral spread of the deepfake video, Soni issued a warning, stating, “This is a completely fake video and we all have to be alert as to how and to what extent things are getting manipulated these days.” “The voice totally seems like I’m only saying. Even video clips are from Crime Patrol. Please be alert people!!,” he added.
