What happened to Archita Phukan can happen to anyone. (Image Source: Freepik)
You might have come across the name Archita Phukan recently or seen her viral photo with popular adult star Kendra Lust. If you did and assumed she was an Assamese influencer entering the adult industry — let me tell you straight — it’s all fake. In one of the most shocking deepfake cases India has seen, what looked like the rise of a bold Instagram influencer turned out to be a disturbing story of identity theft and AI misuse.
According to media reports, back in August 2020, an Instagram profile named Babydoll Archi appeared online, featuring a young woman in stylish outfits, viral dance reels and bold photos. A saree transformation video, set to the hit song “Dame Un Grrr,” quickly pushed the account into the spotlight. By July 2025, it had over 1.3 million followers.
Things took a shocking turn when Babydoll Archi posted a photo with popular American adult star Kendra Lust — sparking wild rumours that an Assamese girl was entering the US porn industry. Meme pages exploded. Social media flooded with posts speculating her identity. The online buzz was unstoppable, especially in Assam.
But the truth was darker and far more terrifying.
The real woman behind those photos had no idea this profile even existed. In fact, the entire ‘Babydoll Archi’ persona was fake. It was built using stolen pictures and AI tools by her ex-boyfriend Pratim Bora — a mechanical engineer from Tinsukia.
Archita Phukan Deepfake Case
He had taken old photos from her personal social media, used AI to morph her face onto new bodies, created fake travel reels, and even doctored a viral image with Kendra Lust — all without her knowledge. To make matters worse, he allegedly sold AI-generated adult content through a subscription website, making money off the fake identity.
The woman only found out once the profile went viral. Her brother filed an FIR with Dibrugarh police, and Bora was arrested soon after. According to the police, his motive was to harass and humiliate her after their breakup.
Why This Matters
This case is not just about revenge. It’s a wake-up call for every woman using the internet today.
AI tools like deepfakes have become so advanced that it’s nearly impossible to tell what’s real and what’s fake. Anyone can become a victim– all it takes is a few photos from your Instagram or Facebook. A casual selfie, a reel, or even a video interview can be misused to create convincing deepfakes.
According to senior industry expert Faisal Kawoosa, chief analyst and founder of Techarc, Deepfake and AI in general is getting sophisticated by every day. It can generate videos and photos very difficult to find if they are genuine or fake.
” I think we all as digital users have to become extremely careful of how we are sharing our information like pics and videos even in personal circles,” he stressed.
He further added that digital platforms also have a big role to play. Social media apps and content-sharing platforms must take responsibility for what’s being shared, even if it’s user-generated content.
“For instance, an interview of a celebrity on YouTube can be exploited to create a deepfake. That’s where we need to have better systems in place,” Kawoosa said.
What Should The Government Do?
Experts believe the government must act quickly. Platforms that host user content should be held accountable. Laws around digital safety need to be updated to reflect the growing misuse of AI tools like deepfakes.
“First of all, we need to bring all platforms under the purview of accountability and close the loophole that allows them to escape responsibility as intermediaries. Platforms should be held responsible for any content being misused, even if it is user-generated,” Kawoosa told Times Now Tech.
According to Prabhu Ram, VP – Industry Research Group (IRG) at CMR, Archita Phukan deepfake case is a stark reminder of how chillingly AI can be weaponised. As synthetic media and artificial intelligence grow increasingly sophisticated, our legal, technological and societal safeguards must keep pace.
“To effectively combat the rising threat of deepfakes, there is a need to enact clear laws to criminalise malicious use, mandate transparent labeling of AI-generated content,and hold platforms accountable for detection and removal,” Ram told Times Now Tech.
Regulatory frameworks should also support the deployment of detection technologies, ensure victim protection through reporting and redress mechanisms, and invest in public digital literacy. Crucially, international cooperation is needed to address the global nature of this threat and harmonize enforcement standards,” he noted.
What’s Next
What happened to Archita Phukan can happen to anyone — a sister, a friend, or even you. The internet is no longer just a fun place to share photos and connect. It’s also a space where your identity can be stolen, twisted and sold.
Until stronger laws and safeguards are in place, the best defence is awareness. Be mindful of what you share. Keep personal content private. And if you ever feel something’s off, report it– because silence helps the abusers not the victims.
