Actress Aishwarya Lekshmi Leaves Instagram Over Unwanted AI Photo Edits

Aishwarya Lekshmi, the 34‑year‑old actress, has stayed off Instagram for more than a year because AI tools keep altering her photos without consent. She told SCREEN that any picture she posts can become the backdrop for AI edits, a prospect she finds intolerable. Though the edits continue online, she said she cannot control them and chose to step back rather than fuel further controversy. The hiatus may have cost her brand deals, but she says it has helped her focus on acting without the pressure to appear perfect on social media. Lekshmi explained that when a career stalls, the urge to post upbeat content adds stress, and she no longer wants to be someone else online. Since quitting, she feels more confident in her craft and has no plans to return to the platform soon. Her most recent screen work was in Balaji Mohan's Tamil Netflix series #Love, where she played Tara, a dating‑app founder entangled with a rival app investor. The series, created by Soundarya Rajinikanth, marks her debut in a long‑format show. Earlier this week, Janhvi Kapoor used her Instagram Stories to condemn a viral AI edit of her "Chuttamalle" song, calling the misuse of technology a violation bordering on sexual assault and thanking Jr NTR and other Telugu stars for speaking out.## Context