A video showing a woman wearing a red bikini and standing near a waterfall is going viral to claim that it shows actor Rashmika Mandanna.
An archive can be seen here.
(Source: X/Screenshot)
How did we find out the truth?: Firstly, we noticed several discrepancies in the viral video including the woman's eyes and face.
At one point, the face morphed on the original video also misplaced.
discrepancies in the viral video
(Source: Altered by The Quint)
We then performed a reverse image search on some of the keyframes of the viral video on Google and this led us to an Instagram post by '@onlybikinimodel'.
This carried the original video without Mandanna's face in it and the caption mentioned that it showed '@danielavillarreal_a'.
Taking a cue, we visited Daniela Villarreal's Instagram account and it carried the original video.
It was shared on 19 April and it showed Villarreal's face instead of Mandanna's.
Comparison between the original and the deepfake video.
(Source: Altered by The Quint)
AI detection tools: We also ran the video of AI detection tool, TrueMedia, which concluded that this video is manipulated.
AI detection tool also concluded that this video is a deepfake.
(Source: TrueMedia/Screenshot)
We have also reached out to Villarreal for her comment on this viral video; the story will be updated once we receive a response.
Conclusion: A deepfake video of Rashmika Mandanna in a bikini is going viral as real.
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