Urvashi Rautela's Camp Says a Years-Old Red Carpet Moment Is Being Used to Sell an AI Brand
Oct. 5 2026, Updated 12:14 p.m. ET
Her team argues that a spontaneous answer from more than three years ago has been repackaged as breaking news, and that the resulting noise is working as free marketing for an AI entrepreneur.
Representatives for Bollywood superstar Urvashi Rautela are speaking out about the viral video driving recent controversy across the Middle East. They say the footage is over three years old and is being passed around with its original setting stripped away.
Those close to the actress describe a fleeting exchange on a crowded red carpet that has ballooned into a full online storyline. Her name, likeness, and comments are now tied to a debate that is steering a lot of attention toward an AI entertainment business.
The Original Moment
According to sources, the video was filmed at an earlier event where Urvashi walked a long press line and took rapid questions from a number of reporters.
One of those questions touched on Bollywood and artificial intelligence. Sources say it caught her off guard, and she offered a quick, unplanned answer before continuing down the carpet.
Her team says viewers are now being shown the clip as if she made a fresh, considered statement this week, without any hint of the circumstances.
"She was ambushed on a very long carpet with a question that had nothing to do with the event," one source close to the actress said. "She answered spontaneously, and now that brief moment is being recycled as though it represents a carefully prepared statement."
Is Someone Cashing In?
Team Urvashi says the situation has grown beyond a single clip going viral.
People around the actress believe the backlash has made her the public face of an AI promotional conversation, giving an AI founder and his companies a steady stream of publicity.
Sheeraz Hasan, who publicly presents himself as founder and CEO of Bollywood.AI and Hollywood.AI, answered Urvashi's team after it issued its legal statement. NDTV reported that he told her to educate herself about AI and where entertainment is headed.
Her side says the debate over whether AI belongs in entertainment misses the point. In their view, the real question is whether a celebrity's name, photos and videos can be used for commercial purposes without consent and then worked into a promotional storyline.
Her representatives have publicly claimed that a Los Angeles-based company used her name, images and videos without approval. Hindustan Times reported that they are seeking legal remedies, with damages currently being calculated at ₹7,000 crore.
Claims the Video Was Altered
People familiar with the matter further allege that the version now making the rounds was manipulated using AI.
The reporting reviewed has not independently confirmed that. Team Urvashi says it is studying how the footage was cut, reposted and spread.
Their concern is that a casual, years-old moment may have been reworked into material meant to spark outrage, drive clicks and lift an AI-linked business.
"The Story Should Not Become the Advertisement"
Sources close to the actress stress that she is not against AI. They cite its promise in filmmaking, visual effects, dubbing, localization and other corners of the industry.
What they object to, they say, is a celebrity's identity being worked into a commercial narrative without her permission.
"Build your AI company. Build your brand. But Urvashi's name should not become part of someone else's business without permission," a person close to the team said.
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Where the Legal Fight Stands
The viral video controversy is linked to the larger legal dispute Team Urvashi announced, but the two are distinct.
Her representatives say they are pursuing appropriate legal remedies against a Los Angeles-based company over the alleged unauthorized use of her name, images, and videos. As NDTV reported, they have said damages are currently being assessed at ₹7,000 crore.
Public coverage has yet to spell out exactly who the legal defendant is or how the ₹7,000 crore number was reached. Those points should stay attributed to Team Urvashi and not be treated as fact.
The Question Her Team Wants Answered
For her camp, the issue is no longer just why an old red carpet answer took off online.
They are asking why a spontaneous exchange from years ago has abruptly become the centerpiece of a commercial AI discussion, and whether her name, image, and content are being used to build attention for another person's business.
Sources say Urvashi does not plan to spend her time exchanging barbs on social media. Her team says it will keep tracking how the footage and her identity are being used and will take the matter through appropriate legal channels.
The bottom line from her side: AI may be the future of entertainment, but that does not entitle anyone to turn a celebrity's identity into a business asset without permission.
