As Delhi gears up for the Assembly polls on February 5, 2025, political parties are diving headfirst into the world of pop culture, AI wizardry, and dramatic storytelling to capture the attention of voters. This approach is particularly aimed at the city's significant demographic of young voters aged 20-29, totalling 25.89 lakh, as per the Election Commission of India.
As part of its creative ad campaigns, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a Harry Potter-themed ad, designed to engage this vital demographic effectively.
The AI-generated video Phir Layenge Kejriwal shows AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the role of Harry Potter, while his associates Manish Sisodia and Atishi Marlena are depicted as professors.
The clip opens with a dramatic statement: "Delhi mai mandra raha hai bhayankar khatra, baccho ke school khodane aa rahe hain BJP ke Death Eaters," suggesting a looming danger to Delhi’s education system, drawing a parallel to the ominous 'Death Eaters' from the Harry Potter series.
Kejriwal is depicted performing magic to shield the schools, while encouraging voters to support AAP in the election to secure Delhi’s future.
The ad portrays Amit Shah as what appears to be one of the 'Death Eaters', linking him to the 'sinister powers' of the Harry Potter realm. In the Harry Potter movies, the Death Eaters pledge their allegiance to the dark wizard Voldemort, embodying the primary antagonistic force throughout the series.
This AI-generated campaign ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections has raised eyebrows, with AAP already facing four FIRs lodged against them for posting AI-created videos and images of prominent BJP figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, in a satirical light across different political scenarios.
Artificial intelligence has taken centre stage in the Delhi election race, as both major political parties, the BJP and AAP, harness deepfake videos to connect with voters.
AAP has taken creativity to new heights by utilising AI to craft deepfakes of iconic cultural moments. They've replaced actors' faces in scenes from the South Korean hit Squid Game and Bollywood favourites like Delhi Belly with those of BJP leaders, often accompanied by a sharp, sarcastic commentary.
One of these, from Delhi Belly, took a jab at BJP’s election promises, dismissing them as "shit", highlighting the party's rhetoric in a biting manner.
In an effort to escalate the parody wars, both AAP and BJP unveiled their takes on the hit show India’s Got Latent. The BJP launched Delhi’s Got Latent, showcasing Kejriwal as a contestant.
In a clever retort, AAP countered with BJP Got Latent, transforming Kejriwal’s image into that of comedian Samay Raina, while taking a jab at BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri’s contentious remarks by labelling him 'Ramesh Gaalibaaz'.
A common thread running through these viral campaigns is the widespread use of deepfake technology by both parties.
It’s interesting to note that neither party has seemingly obtained the rights to utilise Samay Raina's image from India’s Got Latent show, which raises important questions about potential intellectual property infringements.
The 2025 Delhi elections have emerged as a dynamic arena for AI-generated videos and memes, transforming conventional political campaigning into a captivating virtual spectacle that fuses pop culture with impactful political messaging.
/afaqs/media/agency_attachments/2024-10-10t065829449z-afaqs_640x480.png)
/afaqs/media/member_avatars/2025/01/08/2025-01-08t070654887z-1734157120438.jpeg )
Follow Us/afaqs/media/media_files/2025/02/03/FJAIlHExscv75bScWNqT.jpg)