Imran Ashraf has had to do something no celebrity should ever have to do and that is to assure the world that he is still alive.
The actor recently found himself at the centre of a bizarre social media hoax after AI-generated videos falsely claimed that he had passed away. The fabricated clips spread across social media, leaving some fans genuinely confused about what had happened.
The videos were particularly convincing because they featured digitally created versions of familiar Pakistani personalities, including journalists and celebrities. As the content circulated, the false reports began taking on a life of their own.
Imran eventually stepped in to put the rumours to rest himself.
Taking to his Instagram story, the actor shared a direct message for his followers, writing, “ALHAMDULILLAH I AM ABSOLOUTLY FINE ITS A FAKE NEWS NEED YOUR PRAYERS.”
His message made it clear that there was no truth behind the death reports and that he was perfectly fine.
Among the fabricated content circulating online were videos featuring AI-generated versions of actor Bilal Abbas, former cricketer Shahid Afridi and journalist Mansoor Ali Khan. The use of familiar faces appeared to give the fake reports an added sense of credibility, making the hoax even more disturbing.
One video took the deception a step further by showing what appeared to be Imran Ashraf's funeral. Such content can easily mislead viewers who encounter it without knowing that the footage has been digitally manipulated.
Unfortunately, Imran is not the first Pakistani celebrity to become the target of an AI-powered death hoax.
Earlier this year, veteran singer Tahira Syed was also forced to respond after false reports about her death began circulating online. She later appeared in a video to confirm that she was alive and healthy, while reminding people to check the authenticity of information before believing or sharing it.
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