Babydoll Archi wasn’t real: How a viral AI Instagram star was built on one real woman’s photo for fame, revenge and profit

An AI-generated Instagram handle named "Babydoll Archi" recently grabbed national attention after it went viral for its seductive reels and hyper-curated visuals. With over 1.4 million followers, the account appeared to showcase a woman named Archita Phukan who lip-synced and posed in glamorous outfits—quickly becoming a sensation. But behind the digital glamor lay a grim reality.

Phukan did not exist. The account was built using AI-generated and morphed images created from a single photo of a real woman—an unsuspecting resident of Dibrugarh, Assam—who was never part of this narrative. This case has now become one of the most talked-about instances of cyber defamation in India, blending personal revenge, artificial intelligence, and a disturbing obsession with sexually suggestive content.


The viral reel of “Babydoll Archi” lip-syncing to Kate Linn’s Spanish track Dame Un Grrr marked the beginning. The Instagram handle quickly gathered followers, earned the verified blue tick, and was shown collaborating with major influencers.

However, behind the scenes, a man named Pratim Bora from Tinsukia, Assam, was operating the account. Police say he used a morphed version of a woman’s photo to fabricate Archi’s persona. Bora, a mechanical engineer working remotely from Assam, was arrested after Dibrugarh Police traced the account’s origin and linked it to him.


"What started as harassment soon turned into a profit-making business," said SSP Sizal Agarwal, leading the investigation. Bora reportedly began with the intent of digitally harassing a past acquaintance. But once the content started gaining traction, he monetised it through viral reels and a paid Linktree page called ‘Actual Fans’.

In just five days, he earned Rs 3 lakh. Police believe he made up to Rs 10 lakh overall by circulating AI-generated adult content. The account was created in August 2020 and changed names twice, most recently from Babydoll Archi to Amira Ishtara.

Authorities confiscated Bora’s devices, SIM cards, and financial records, and are investigating fake Gmail accounts, AI tools, and possible collaborators. Bora reportedly used AI software like OpenAI and Midjourney to generate sexually suggestive content from the one photo he had.


Despite early doubts about the account’s authenticity, the public eagerly consumed the content. The involvement of US adult star Kendra Lust—whether genuine or fabricated—further blurred lines between fiction and reality. The widespread assumption was that Archita Phukan was a real Indian woman entering the adult industry, when she was, in fact, a digitally manipulated fabrication.

This incident has reignited debates on India’s complicated relationship with adult videos and sex. While not officially classified as a mental disorder, this addiction is being discussed increasingly by psychologists and researchers. The Babydoll Archi case shows how adult content—especially AI-generated—is finding new ways to spread under the garb of entertainment.


Noida-based psychologist Shreya Kaul believes that India’s silence around sex fuels the very addiction and exploitation it condemns. “There’s a clash of ideologies. Sex is taboo, but the curiosity is endless,” she said. That curiosity, when not guided by informed conversations, turns toward distorted and unhealthy representations of intimacy—often found in adult vidoes.

With mobile access growing and sex education remaining limited or absent, young Indians often turn to adult vidoes as their first exposure to sexual content. However, what they find is far removed from real-world relationships—choreographed, filtered, and often exploitative.

Women, in particular, are vulnerable to public shaming, with labels and moral judgments being thrown easily—whether they choose to express sexuality or are falsely portrayed in such content.


The Babydoll Archi case underscores an urgent need for better regulation of AI tools, legal clarity on deepfake crimes, and widespread digital literacy. More importantly, it exposes a cultural unwillingness to talk openly about consent, privacy, and sex.

As the lines between real and artificial continue to blur, the question remains—are we ready to protect individuals from being turned into digital fantasies for mass consumption? If not, India’s adult video problem is no longer just a moral debate—it’s a full-blown tech crisis.