Popular Indian gaming streamer Payal Dhare, known as Payal Gaming, became the victim of a malicious AI-generated deepfake video in mid-December 2025, falsely depicting her in explicit content. The clip, labeled a “Dubai MMS leak,” rapidly spread across social media platforms like X and Instagram, amassing millions of views despite early suspicions from fans who noted inconsistencies such as mismatched facial moles.
Payal quickly addressed the scandal on Instagram, calling it “deeply hurtful and dehumanizing” and confirming legal action, while urging fans not to share it. Her supporters rallied in defense, highlighting the ease of creating such fakes with AI tools, and Maharashtra Cyber Police verified the video as tampered using advanced forensic analysis on December 19.
In a major breakthrough, Maharashtra Cyber Police announced arrests of multiple uploaders by January 11, with several others served notices and forced to issue public apologies—one even changed their X handle in panic. The crackdown underscores India’s push against deepfake abuse targeting women creators, as investigations continue to nab the original perpetrator.
