Representative image. Sriram Kasyap Meduri, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why it matters
The complaint asks police to separate criticism of public figures from posts the team says are invented, such as doctored screenshots and impersonating accounts. The team says each repost of possibly unlawful content may be examined separately, which matters for anyone who shares unverified claims about the couple.
The team that represents actors Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda filed a cyber crime complaint with police in Hyderabad on 26 October 2026, asking them to investigate social media posts it says are fabricated. The complaint points to four kinds of material: made-up claims, doctored screenshots, accounts impersonating the couple and targeted harassment, according to the team’s statement as reported by Hindustan Times, The Indian Express and the news agency ANI (Asian News International).
It comes five days after the airing of the Koffee With Karan episode featuring the married couple, which was followed by a wave of trolling online. Both actors had also answered critics in their own social media posts on 26 October.
What the Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda complaint asks police to do
A representative of the team, which fans call “Virosh” (a blend of the two names), handed the complaint over in person, Hindustan Times and ANI reported. The team said it had given the police links to the posts and other supporting material to examine.
The statement draws a line between criticism and invention. “While we fully respect freedom of speech, individual opinions and the right to express criticism, there is a clear distinction between expressing an opinion and presenting fabricated, manipulated or materially misleading claims as facts,” it said, in wording carried identically by all three outlets.
The team also asked investigators to look at whether any of the posts were part of a coordinated or paid campaign, if evidence shows that. It said each case of someone creating, reposting or spreading possibly unlawful content could be looked at separately, and that it would pursue legal remedies wherever needed. It urged social media users not to share claims they have not checked, News18 reported.
These are the team’s allegations. None of the reports NewsPlainly read said whether police had registered a First Information Report (FIR), the formal record that starts a criminal case, or named any account. Hindustan Times reported only that the complaint had been received and that the police would review the material before deciding the next step.
How the Koffee With Karan episode turned into a row
The episode of Koffee With Karan season 9, hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, aired on 21 October, according to The Indian Express. The paper described it as the first time the couple spoke openly about their relationship and marriage.
On the show, Rashmika recalled telling Vijay that they should get married. As News18 and ANI reported it, he answered that she should ask him 100 times, and she said she kept asking for nearly a year. Vijay explained on the show that he wanted them to take their time before such a big decision.
Many viewers read the exchange differently. Some social media users called Vijay a “red flag”, News18 reported, and some questioned whether Rashmika was more invested in the relationship than he was, according to Hindustan Times. Old clips from film promotions and interviews then started circulating again, Hindustan Times said. According to The Indian Express, some accounts went further and spread rumours of a divorce, about eight months after the wedding.
What Rashmika and Vijay said in their own posts
Before the complaint was filed, Rashmika posted a long note on Instagram. Hindustan Times described it as eight pages. She called the reaction an “angry mob” and said the point of the conversation had been lost. Vijay, she wrote, had wanted them to understand each other and think through the practical side of marriage; she already knew what she wanted. She wrote that she would choose him a thousand times over, India Today and News18 reported.
“I am OBSESSED with my man. When did that become a bad thing?” she wrote, according to Hindustan Times and the Economic Times. She also criticised people who targeted her family and described some of the comments as bullying dressed up as feminism.
Vijay replied with an Instagram post calling Rashmika his best friend and wife and saying the two were “both gloriously happy”, Hindustan Times reported. The post ended with a crude line telling the rest of his critics to go away, which several outlets printed with the swear word starred out.
The cyber crime complaint and what the law says about impersonation
The team’s statement, as reported, did not name any law, and none of the reports NewsPlainly read cited legal sections. One law that deals directly with one of the four complaints is section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000. It covers cheating by pretending to be someone else using a phone or computer, and carries up to three years in jail and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh, according to the text of the Act.
| What the team complained about | What it says happened | Status on 26 October |
|---|---|---|
| Fabricated claims | False stories about the couple presented as fact | Complaint filed; no FIR reported |
| Manipulated screenshots | Doctored images passed around as real | Links submitted to police |
| Impersonation | Accounts posing as the couple or their team | Links submitted to police |
| Targeted harassment | Repeated attacks aimed at the couple | Police to review the material |
Not the first time Rashmika went to police over fake content
Rashmika Mandanna has been here before. In late 2023 a deepfake video, a clip altered with artificial intelligence so that it appeared to show her, spread widely online. Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrested a 24-year-old man from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh about three months later, in January 2024, Deccan Herald reported at the time.
Police said then that the accused had posted the video on 13 October 2023 on an Instagram fan page he ran in her name, and that the page’s followers rose from 90,000 to 1.08 lakh within two weeks. Investigators said they had gone through more than 500 accounts that shared the clip before tracing it to him. NewsPlainly has reported separately on the AI module that covers deepfakes for Classes 9 to 12 from NCERT, the National Council of Educational Research and Training.
Timeline: from Geetha Govindam to the complaint
- 2018: Rashmika and Vijay star together in the Telugu film Geetha Govindam, followed by Dear Comrade in 2019 (Hindustan Times).
- 13 October 2023: A deepfake video of Rashmika is posted on an Instagram fan page, Delhi Police later said.
- January 2024: Delhi Police arrest a 24-year-old man from Guntur over the deepfake.
- 26 February 2026: The couple marry in Udaipur (Hindustan Times).
- 21 October 2026: Their Koffee With Karan episode airs (The Indian Express).
- 26 October 2026: Rashmika and Vijay post replies on Instagram; their team files the cyber crime complaint in Hyderabad.
The complaint came five days after the episode aired, by NewsPlainly’s count from the dates reported.
What happens to the cyber crime complaint now
The police will first look at the links and material the team handed in. Whether that leads to an FIR, notices to social media platforms or action against any account had not been reported by the evening of 26 October. The team has said it will keep using legal routes, and that its target is material it says is false, not criticism of the couple.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda file a cyber crime complaint?
Their team says fabricated claims, manipulated screenshots, impersonating accounts and targeted harassment spread online after their Koffee With Karan episode. It filed the complaint with police in Hyderabad on 26 October 2026 and submitted links as evidence.
What did Rashmika say on Koffee With Karan?
She recalled telling Vijay they should get married; he said she should ask him 100 times, and she said she kept asking for nearly a year. Vijay said he wanted them to take their time before deciding.
Has an FIR been registered?
None of the reports NewsPlainly read on 26 October said an FIR had been registered. Hindustan Times reported that the complaint had been received and would be reviewed.