'Mollywood Version Of Godfather'; Viral AI Video Creator's Apology Video Sparks Privacy Concerns

Mollywood's 'AI' Version Of Godfather Sparks Privacy Concern: Francis Ford Coppola's iconic crime drama franchise, "The Godfather," has left an indelible mark on world cinema.

Spanning three parts from 1972 to 1990, the saga has become a revered reference for film enthusiasts and students worldwide.

Imagine if the roles of Marlon Brando and Al Pacino were portrayed by Malayalam stars. Such curiosities that used to be just ideas can now be visualised by those who have interest and time. The video of the Mollywood version of The Godfather went viral on social media a few days ago.

Running at 1.25 minutes, the viral video utilises artificial intelligence (deepfake) to reimagine Al Pacino's character, Michael Corleone, with the face of Mohanlal, while Fahadh Faasil's face seamlessly replaces John Cazale's portrayal of Michael's brother, Fredo Corleone. Additionally, Mammootty's visage is superimposed onto the role of Morris "Moe" Greene, originally played by Alex Rocco, the owner of a Las Vegas casino.

The deepfake version focuses on the memorable scene in which Michael expresses his disapproval and presents a compelling offer to buy out Greene's entire interest in the casino, a pivotal moment in the Corleone family's relocation to Nevada.

The video has gone viral on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, with actors like Vinay Fort sharing it and igniting passionate discussions about the potential future of AI in cinema circles.

Creator Shares His Regret And Privacy Concerns

Meanwhile, Tom Antony, the creator of the video, expressed his dissatisfaction with its creation and shared his experience through a video on his YouTube channel, 'Vavvalmanusyan'.

Tom revealed that he never anticipated that the video would go viral. It gained popularity when someone else posted it, and he had no control over its spread. Initially, he felt a sense of happiness, but it quickly turned into fear as everyone began asking how the video was made. This situation left Tom feeling paranoid, realising that anyone could create a video of anyone else using just a photo.

He disclosed that the video was generated using a basic AI application released five years ago. Initially, Tom's intention was to inform people about this application. However, he has now decided to stop creating any more videos.

In the video, Tom stated that he would no longer produce videos featuring someone else's face without their permission. He highlighted the alarming fact that if someone possesses a photo of an individual, they can create any type of video, including explicit content. Tom expressed his lack of pride in creating such a video and admitted to experiencing sleepless nights for the past three or four days.