Joseph Vijay’s Deepfake Universe: Following the Pakistan Connection
What connects AI videos of Joseph Vijay speaking Hindi, promises of lakhs for weddings and house construction, and Facebook pages carrying Pakistani phone numbers? A growing social-media campaign built around “Thalapathy Vijay” — including claims that he could become India’s next Prime Minister. OBC investigates the pages, phone numbers, videos, and the claims behind them.
It has been just six months since the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Joseph Vijay, came to power in Tamil Nadu. The party celebrated its 100 days in office on August 17. Currently, Vijay is a hot topic on social media, with Facebook and Instagram posts suggesting he could become India’s Prime Minister, which are gaining significant traction.
According to India Today-C Voter survey results, Joseph Vijay ranks third among potential future Prime Ministers of India. However, many of the claims circulating on social media are misleading and factually incorrect.
Media outlets have reported that several Facebook and X pages operating under TVK’s name have been spreading fake news. After Vijay became Chief Minister, some social media pages changed their names to variations of his name, such as “Vijay Thalapathy,” and have widely circulated AI-generated fake news and videos. Additionally, DMK-supporting social media accounts have alleged that Instagram accounts from Pakistan are being used to promote Vijay.
There are indications that efforts are underway to boost Vijay’s popularity in North India through online campaigns. The OBC is examining the types of campaigns being conducted in favour of TVK on Facebook and other social media platforms, as well as the veracity of these claims.
OBC examined the activities and content of several Facebook pages created in Vijay’s name. Most of these pages operate under the name “Vijay Thalapathy” and list Pakistan’s country code, +92, in their descriptions. All of these pages have thousands of followers.
What Kind of Fake Campaigns Are Running on “Vijay Thalapathy” Pages?
OBC examined some Facebook pages that became active after the Vijay government came to power. Most accounts operating under the name “Vijay Thalapathy” list phone and WhatsApp numbers in their profile sections. Most of these WhatsApp numbers begin with +92. However, OBC’s investigation found that some of the numbers are not registered on WhatsApp. Most of these videos claim that Vijay is providing financial assistance for weddings and house construction. Vijay himself appears in these AI-generated videos.
OBC selected seven pages under the name “Vijay Thalapathy” for in-depth investigation. We examined the authenticity of the videos posted on these pages and independently verified the phone numbers they had published. OBC’s investigation found that a large-scale fake narrative-building operation is taking place on social media in the name of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. The possibility of large-scale financial fraud cannot be ruled out either. The findings for each page are detailed below.
Phone Numbers Based in Pakistan
The page “Vijay Thalapathy”, which has 58,000 followers and shares AI-generated videos related to TVK, lists a number beginning with Pakistan’s country code, +92. A fake .com-format link has also been added to the link section. The account bio reads, “help all India”. OBC attempted to contact one of the phone numbers listed on the account. The response stated that incoming calls were currently unavailable on the number. The message was in Hindi rather than Tamil.
The WhatsApp number listed on the account (+92 303 754 5992) was checked on Truecaller. Truecaller shows the name “Mani Ms” for this number. Further examination revealed that the number is registered to Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited (PMCL), a Pakistani telecom service provider.
In a video posted on this page on July 19, Vijay is seen giving money to a woman. In the video, Vijay says in Hindi, “I helped this sister with money for her wedding; if you also need help like this, follow me and message me.” The video also attracted comments expressing support for Vijay.
A verification using the Hive Moderation AI detection tool indicated that 95% of the video was AI-generated.
Promises of Financial Aid; Page based in Ludhiana
Another page that shares multiple AI-generated videos claiming that Vijay is providing financial assistance is named “Vijay Thalapathi Helping Hands”. The page has over 116,000 followers. The address field lists Ludhiana as the location.
A verification of the WhatsApp number listed on this page (+92 332 7799782) found that it is associated with Ufone (Pak Telecom Mobile Limited), a Pakistani telecom service provider.
The page repeatedly shares the same photos. It also repeatedly posts an AI-generated photo showing Vijay standing alongside Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee.
OBC contacted the mobile number listed on the account, and the call was answered by a person named Maqbool Khan from Uttar Pradesh. He told OBC that he had been receiving numerous calls mentioning the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s name and that he planned to change his number soon.
This page also claims that money will be given to people facing financial difficulties. The account has posted a video in which Vijay says in Hindi: “I will help those in India who need help. My team has already helped lakhs of people. Those who need help now can contact the WhatsApp number given below.”
This video, too, was found to be AI-generated during the investigation. The AI detection tool indicated that 99.9% of the video was AI-generated.
Overall, posts claiming that Vijay will provide financial assistance appear to receive the greatest reach on social media.
Vijay Seated Amid Stacks of Currency Notes
Another page, also named “Vijay Thalapathy”, shows Vijay seated amid stacks of currency notes arranged on a table. The page has 10,000 followers.
This account shared a video on September 2 promising financial assistance for house construction.
The WhatsApp number listed on the page also begins with the +92 country code. The number given on the page (+92 306 7681057) is listed as “Attention” on Truecaller. The number is also registered to PMCL.
The video has attracted numerous comments requesting help. Some comments say things like: “Please give money now; it can be returned later.”
The video promising money for house construction had been viewed 484 times as of September 5, 2026. OBC found that this, too, was a completely AI-generated video.
‘Vijay: Messiah of the Poor’
Another Facebook page named “Vijay Thalapathy”, with 6.1K followers, has also shared an AI-generated image of Vijay sitting with stacks of currency notes on a table. The page has also shared another video calling Vijay “the messiah of the poor”. The number listed on this page (+92 301 1071746) is also registered under PMCL. Truecaller shows this number as “Fraud Business”.
The AI-generated video states: “Vijay will give eight grams of gold for the weddings of the poor. I will provide financial help of one lakh to fifteen lakh rupees to my brothers and sisters in India. I help people of all religions — Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Christian.”
Thousands of people have viewed this video. OBC’s analysis found that 60% of the visuals in the edited video were AI-generated, while the image of Vijay sitting amid stacks of currency notes was 99.9% AI-generated.
Deepfake Videos of Vijay Speaking in Hindi
Numerous deepfake videos falsely depict the Tamil-speaking political leader speaking in Hindi. In these videos, Vijay is shown saying that money will be given to people who cannot afford dowry payments. Another page named “Vijay Thalapathy”, with over 103,000 followers, has this video, which had received 103,000 views as of the report date, September 5, 2026. Most videos on this account have received more than 10,000 views.
Apparently unaware that the videos are AI-generated, users can be seen requesting financial help in the comments.
‘Help for Housing and Wedding’
Another page has posted a video in which Vijay says people should contact his manager directly for financial needs. The page does not include a WhatsApp number. This video, too, is AI-generated.
Another page named “Vijay Thalapathy”, with 6,000 followers, also has an AI-generated video in which Vijay says, “I will help you build a house and with your daughter’s wedding.” OBC’s investigation found that this video was 90% AI-generated.
‘Vijay Promising’ Lakhs for Sharing Videos
Some videos claim that money will be given if the video is shared with a certain number of people. The posts say things like: “This person shared my video with this many people, so I gave them this much money — you share the video too.”
Another Facebook page named “Vijay Thalapathy”, with more than 38,000 followers, has multiple such videos circulating. The account’s bio reads, “All India help”. The account lists a phone number and a WhatsApp contact number, both beginning with +92 and registered to PMCL.
In one video, Vijay is seen saying: “I helped this sister with fifty lakh rupees; she had shared my video with fifty people. If you need help too, my WhatsApp number is in the bio.”
Many people commented, asking for money, and many appeared unaware that the video was AI-generated. OBC’s analysis also found that the video was 99.9% AI-generated.
Another page, “Vijay Thalapathy fans”, with over 8,000 followers, has also posted the same video. In another video on this page, Vijay says: “This sister followed me, and I gave her 10 lakh rupees. Whoever among you needs money should follow me, and share this video with five people.”
This video was also found to be 99.8% AI-generated.
Posts comparing Vijay to former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan are also circulating on Facebook, calling him “India’s Imran Khan”.
‘Thalapathy’ Pages Running Paid Advertisements
Of the seven main “Vijay Thalapathy” Facebook pages that OBC examined in detail, two were found to have run paid posts promoting the fake claims as public advertisements in August 2026. This was discovered by checking information from Facebook’s Meta Ad Library. Neither page currently has active ads. The money spent on these fake promotional ads was in Pakistani rupees (PKR 400–PKR 499).
The ads primarily targeted users in states such as Uttar Pradesh (20%) and West Bengal (15%). They reached between 8,000 and 9,000 people, mainly targeting men aged 25–34.
Posts claiming that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay said that anyone who assaults a woman — in Tamil Nadu or anywhere in India — should be executed within 24 hours went viral in this manner. Such posts have also been shared on pages named “Vijay Thalapathy”.
However, fact-checks and reports have since clarified that he never made such a statement and that the claim originated on social media.
“Financial assistance given by Vijay” is the recurring theme in most of these Hindi-language videos. Although these pages currently carry no advertisements, these AI-generated videos are primarily used to attract more people, maximise post shares, and grow the pages’ follower counts and reach.
The possibility that these pages could later be used for financial fraud or other political propaganda, once their follower base has grown, cannot be ruled out.
The Print has reported that the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing has registered a case over the creation and circulation of such AI-generated deepfake videos, and that the investigation has been handed over to the CB-CID.
Tamil Nadu Police have also written to Meta, demanding the immediate removal of accounts offering financial assistance in Vijay’s name on Facebook and Instagram and requesting that the IP addresses and other details of those operating these accounts be shared.
A “Buy-and-Repurpose” Propaganda Network? DMK Alleges
There are strong allegations that pages and accounts supporting the party have been widely spreading fake news since the TVK government came to power in Tamil Nadu.
“Ever since entering politics, the TVK party has operated on the back of fake narratives and campaigns. It was entirely engineered fake propaganda that helped bring that party to power. As someone who has monitored political tech operations on social media for years, I can say this was never an organically arising wave,” says Iyan Karthikeyan, the former editor-in-chief of YouTurn, a Tamil Nadu fact-checking collective. He also previously led the former DMK government’s official fact-checking unit. Iyan Karthikeyan alleges that several social media pages changed their names to “Thalapathy Vijay” within the first few months after Vijay took office as Chief Minister.
Iyan Karthikeyan also alleged that the ‘Pakistan connection’ (the numbers with Pakistan country code) cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence. According to him, this is a “buy-and-repurpose” method, in which pages with good reach are purchased and then renamed. He told OBC that these renamed pages are then used for TVK’s fake propaganda. However, OBC could not independently verify whether these pages were pre-existing ones and had been renamed.
“We Cannot Control Every Page”: TVK.
To ascertain the party’s position on the matter, OBC contacted the party’s national spokesperson, Felix Gerald. He denied the allegations and said the party was not responsible for the posts currently circulating.
He told OBC: “‘Thalapathy Vijay’ is a very popular keyword and a powerful hashtag on social media. ‘Thalapathy Vijay’ is one of the trending topics across South Asia. People use Vijay’s name to boost the reach of their own pages. Some use such pages for good purposes, but others may misuse them. We cannot fully control such social media accounts or the posts that appear on them. We are aware that many fake pages are operating under Vijay’s name. But we cannot respond to all of them. We have to speak about Tamil Nadu’s development and progress, and we will respond appropriately on that front.”
He denied the allegation that the party spends ₹5 crore per month on fake propaganda and reels.
While the TVK spokesperson said that the party has no involvement in these fake campaigns using Vijay’s name and image on social media, AI deepfake videos and false promises are helping build public sentiment in Vijay’s favour. Who is driving these campaigns, and to what end, remains an open question.
(With inputs from Sujith A)
