Actor Varinder Ghuman, who shared screen space with Salman Khan, dies of heart attack
Chandigarh (PTI): Professional bodybuilder and actor Varinder Singh Ghuman passed away following a heart attack on Thursday, his family has said.
Ghuman's manager, Yadvinder Singh, said the actor was experiencing shoulder pain and had gone to a private hospital in Amritsar for treatment.
His nephew Amanjot Singh Ghuman told reporters in Jalandhar that the actor suffered a heart attack in the hospital around 5 pm.
Forty-one-year-old Ghuman had worked with superstar Salman Khan in the film 'Tiger-3' in 2023 and other Hindi films like 'Roar: Tigers of Sundarbans' in 2014 and 'Marjaavan' in 2019. He also worked in the Punjabi film 'Kabaddi Once Again' in 2012.
He won the Mr India title in 2009 and had secured second place in the Mr Asia pageant. A native of Gurdaspur, he was currently residing in Jalandhar.
Politicians across party lines condoled his demise.
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu called Ghuman the "pride of Punjab" and termed his death as an "irreparable loss for the country".
"Passing away of the pride of Punjab, 'the He-Man of India', Varinder Ghuman ji, is an irreparable loss for the country. He set new standards in the world of fitness with his hard work and vegetarian lifestyle. His life will always be a source of inspiration for the youth," the BJP leader said on X.
Congress MP and former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa credited Ghuman with bringing glory to Punjab.
"It is heartbreaking to hear the news of the sudden demise of Punjab's famous bodybuilder and actor Varinder Singh Ghuman. He brought glory to Punjab with his hard work, discipline, and talent. May Waheguru grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give strength to the family to bear this loss," Randhawa said on X.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
