Jalandhar’s ‘Kulhad Pizza’ Couple Deems Leaked Video 'Fake, AI-Made’

The proprietors of Kulhad Pizza in Jalandhar have found themselves at the epicentre of social media controversy following the leak of a 'private video' depicting a couple in bed. The video in question was claimed to feature Sehaj Arora, the owner of the establishment, and his spouse. However, Arora has denied these allegations and lodged a formal complaint with the police.

The couple issued a statement saying the video was fake while requesting people not to circulate it any further. “The video which is getting viral is totally fake. 15 days ago, I received a message on Instagram which contained the video as well. The user in the message blackmailed me for payment or else the video would be leaked online,” he claimed.

Arora further claimed that since his wife was due to have a baby, they got busy and could not pay more attention to the matter. The video was then leaked online and is totally fake, made using AI, the man claimed.

A day later, Arora released an emotional video on his YouTube and requested people not to forward the objectionable video. "Our home, which should have been filled with joy, now bears an atmosphere of despair. We live in uncertainty, unsure of what the future holds," Sehaj Arora said.

He further added that the accused who demanded a monetary deposit, threatening to disseminate compromising videos was arrested by the police. 

It is not the first time that private videos of women have been leaked online. Why is it so difficult to understand consent and respect others' privacy?

Women are always scared of being recorded in public bathrooms and changing rooms and facing the consequences of it. Yes, sadly ruining a woman's life is that easy. And now it emerges that they are not safe in hostels which are supposed to be their home away from home. The breach of her privacy would come up at every step of her life, and she will be the one questioned not the perpetrator.

Here are a few other MMS leak Controversies which rocked the country.

5 MMS Leak Controversies In India

1. Chandigarh University - Recorded videos of 60 women from the hostel taking baths emerged on social media. The accused was arrested after it was claimed that she sent those videos to her boyfriend. There have been two more arrests made related to the case. Protests have been going on by the students of the university for the lack of surveillance and safety on campus. Read the full story here.
2. Trisha Kar Madhu - Bhojpuri actress Trisha Kar Madhu's intimate video with a man went viral and she got trolled. People accused her of leaking her own video, even though she claimed to have been aware of filming it but she did not know who leaked it. The actor told on a social media post, "You all are saying that I made the video. Yes, we did make the video but I did not know that someone would backstab me. Anyone will do such a thing to degrade me, I never thought or I never knew." Read the full story here.
3. Anjali Arora - Anjali Arora is an actor who has featured in many Punjabi music videos and faced trolling after a sensitive video got leaked recently. Officially it hasn't been proven that the woman in it is Arora. But nevertheless, Arora got trolled when recently she shared a video of her other work. A string of sleazy comments can be found under the post.
4. DPS MMS Scandal - In 2004, India saw its first MMS scandal when a video of over 2 mins was leaked online and created a scare among the citizens. This incident was later taken up by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap as a movie plot for his film Dev D.
5. Mona Singh - Back in 2013, actor Mona Singh's face was morphed in an X-rated video and uploaded. The actor spoke to the media about how she dealt with it, she told Hindustan Times, "It’s absolutely disgraceful that something like this has happened. Someone has gone to the extent of morphing someone’s face onto someone else’s body. If this can happen to me, it can happen to any innocent girl. I’m glad that I’m a celebrity and can talk to the media. Only the media can help me get out of this."

Suggested Reading: Victim-Blaming Women Is Not The Answer To Rape Culture

Women are vulnerable to security breaches, fake news, gendered abuse and sexual harassment. It is about time we explore a consolidated approach to safety.