Sreeleela condemned the use of AI to create fabricated content and defame individuals. Her post, amid the controversy surrounding Payal Gaming, gained more traction.
In 2025, celebrities are increasingly being targeted by highly realistic AI-generated deepfakes, usually featuring non-consensual fake explicit content. Several Indian public figures like Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Sreeleela, and even YouTubers like Payal Gaming have been victims to the misuse of technology. Payal has been making headlines due to her viral 'Dubai MMS' controversy, which included an explicit 1-minute 20-second clip, claimed to be hers.
On December 17, 2025, Payal Gaming finally hit back at the fabricated content, and on the same day, South Indian actress, Sreeleela made an emotional appeal asking social media users not to support AI-generated content meant to defame someone. Notably, Sreeleela herself became a target of deepfakes, and she posted on behalf of all the victims of such defamatory content. Amid the controversy surrounding Payal Gaming, Sreeleela's post gained even more traction.
Kissik-fame, Sreeleela made an emotional appeal on Instagram, urging social media users not to support "AI-generated nonsense". She called such content "deeply disturbing and devastating." Her post addresses the misuse of technology, specifically the creation and circulation of non-consensual deepfake images of women in the entertainment industry. Sreeleela emphasised that every woman, regardless of her profession, is someone's daughter, granddaughter, sister, or friend, deserving respect and a safe environment. The actress wrote:
"Every girl out there is a daughter, granddaughter, sister, friend or colleague, even if she chooses art as one of her professions. We wish to be part of an industry that spreads joy, with the confidence that we are in a protected environment. I have been unaware of many things happening online due to my schedule, and I thank my well-wishers for bringing this to my notice."
Sreeleela mentioned that many of her colleagues are facing similar issues and that she was speaking on their behalf. She requested that her audience stand by artists with grace and dignity by refraining from sharing or circulating harmful, manipulated content. Sreeleela confirmed that the matter is being taken seriously and that the authorities will be handling it from here on. The actress' post came amid the viral 'Dubai MMS' controversy of Indian YouTuber and gaming influencer Payal Dhare, better known as Payal Gaming.
A widely circulated clip on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and Instagram claimed that an intimate video featuring Payal had been leaked while she was in Dubai. The controversy emerged shortly after Payal gained massive popularity as the viral girl in the stands during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 India vs Australia semi-final match in Dubai. Fact-checks by multiple news outlets and digital experts identified the video as an AI-generated deepfake or a recycled clip of an unrelated individual.
Experts noted the 'Dubai MMS' narrative was a targeted campaign designed to exploit Payal's sudden fame and drive traffic to phishing links or malware. On December 17, 2025, the gaming streamer broke her silence via an Instagram statement, clarifying that the individual in the video was not her and that the situation was "deeply hurtful and dehumanizing". Payal confirmed she would take legal action against those spreading the fabricated content.
What are your thoughts on YouTubers and actors becoming targets of AI-generated, fabricated content? Let us know.
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