National Film Actor: Morphed Images & Deepfake Video Removed via DMCA + IT Act

Morphed images using the actor's publicly available photographs, combined with AI-generated deepfake video, were published across multiple platforms — including a US-hosted adult content platform. The content had been live for approximately 36 hours before our engagement, during which time it had been shared across 6 Telegram channels, linked in a Reddit thread, and indexed by Google Images. The reputational and personal distress impact was immediate and severe. Two brand endorsement partners put campaigns on hold pending "clarification." The actor's management confirmed that the content had originated from a personal dispute with a former associate.

Privacy violation and digital sexual harassment under IT Act Section 66E (violation of privacy) and Section 67A (publishing obscene material) provided strong Indian law grounds. However, the most critical content resided on US-hosted platforms requiring DMCA takedowns combined with the actor's copyright over the original photographs used for morphing. We filed DMCA notices citing copyright in the original underlying photographs (headshots and promotional stills owned by the production company, with a letter of authorisation to act on their behalf). Simultaneously, we filed a formal police complaint under IT Act Section 66E and sent emergency notices to all Indian-accessible platforms. For the adult platform, we engaged their DMCA agent directly and escalated through their abuse channel with police complaint documentation attached. Instagram, Twitter/X and Reddit received combined IT Act + DMCA notices leveraging their Indian operations' compliance obligations under IT Rules 2021.

The US-hosted adult platform removed the content within 18 hours of the DMCA notice — fastest removal in our practice. Twitter/X removed content on Day 2. Instagram content was down by Day 3. Telegram channels were reported through the cybercrime portal and all 6 suspended by Day 7. Reddit posts removed by Day 5. Google Images de-indexed all URLs by Day 21. Both endorsement partners resumed their campaigns upon receipt of the confirmation package. The former associate was identified and a criminal complaint filed under IPC 509 in addition to IT Act provisions.