V D Satheesan Denies Seeking Removal Of AI-Generated Dance Video Circulating Online

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday said neither he nor his office had complained against an AI-generated video showing him dancing with Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) staff, or sought its removal from social media. His clarification came after Meta restricted access in India to the viral video, which had attracted widespread attention online. Satheesan said police had informed him that complaints had been received against the video under the Information Technology Rules, but he maintained that no complaint had been filed by him or his office. Replying to reporters at a press conference, Satheesan said he had publicly expressed his enjoyment of the video and therefore had no reason to seek its removal.

“Neither I as CM nor my office has sought the removal of the video or filed a complaint against it,” he said. He added that he was disappointed that he could no longer watch the clip, particularly while travelling. Satheesan’s comments sought to distinguish his own position from reports and speculation surrounding the action taken against the video. The video shows an AI-generated version of Satheesan dancing alongside people dressed as KSEB employees, against the backdrop of Kerala’s recent power crisis. It was posted on the Instagram page ‘aikavala’ last Thursday and, according to the page’s operator, had received 1.78 crore views by Sunday. Meta subsequently restricted access to the video for users in India.

The creators said they received a notification stating that access had been restricted following a notice from the Government of India. The video remained accessible outside India, according to reports. The creators of the clip had earlier said they did not believe Satheesan’s office was responsible for the restriction, pointing to his public comments appreciating the video. Meta has not publicly detailed specific legal provision or policy cited in the India-only restriction. The development also drawn attention because the clip was not removed globally, leaving it viewable in other countries while access was limited for Indian users. This distinction has added to questions about the process through which government notices and platform enforcement decisions operate.

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Satheesan said the media had reported that there were legal issues surrounding the AI-generated clip. He clarified that when he spoke about legal questions at a convocation ceremony at Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram, he was referring more broadly to the need for possible new laws in response to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. He said the use of AI to imitate a person or recreate someone’s work could have legal ramifications involving intellectual property rights and copyright. His remarks came as questions grew over the regulatory treatment of synthetic media and AI-generated content on social platforms.

The chief minister had earlier spoken publicly about the viral video in a lighter vein. At an event organised by the Kerala High Court, he said he was excited to see an AI-generated version of himself leading a group dance and jokingly claimed that he could dance better than Malayalam superstar Mohanlal and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. He later said the clip had made him happy despite its partly mocking intent. Satheesan also recalled that a five-year-old had praised his dance moves after watching the video, apparently believing that the chief minister had actually performed the dance.

The controversy over the clip comes amid wider questions about the use of AI to create realistic representations of public figures and the responsibilities of social media platforms in handling such material. Reports have said Kerala Police’s cyber division had issued notices concerning several AI-generated videos involving Satheesan and other ministers. Sources cited by The New Indian Express said some videos were targeted because they allegedly did not comply with disclosure requirements for synthetic content under intermediary rules. However, Satheesan’s statement makes clear that he did not personally seek the removal of the KSEB dance video. The episode has therefore raised separate questions about the source of the complaint, the legal basis for the restriction and how emerging AI content rules are being applied.

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