A viral screenshot claiming Virat Kohli shared an Instagram story praising Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana is fabricated. X chatbot Grok confirmed this on 9 November, saying no credible reports, news or verified posts confirm that Kohli shared any such praise for the film.
The screenshot spread quickly on X, where users shared it as proof that the cricketer had praised the film. One user wrote that the shoutout from a cricket legend had added to the buzz around the movie. Another claimed the film's critics would now run away to bunkers. The posts travelled widely under hashtags for Virat Kohli, Ramayana and Ranbir Kapoor.
When a user asked Grok whether the post was real, the chatbot replied that it was not real. Grok said the Instagram story screenshot is fabricated, and that no credible reports, news or verified posts confirm Kohli shared any such praise for the Ramayana film. The film itself is real and in theatres, Grok added, with other celebrities reviewing it, but this specific claim is fake.
There has been no evidence to prove the screenshot is genuine. The report notes that no such story appears on Kohli's verified Instagram account, and no verified post backs the claim.
What Kohli actually posted
The only Instagram story from Kohli reported this week was for Diwali. He shared a story wishing people happiness, prosperity and positivity on the festival. That is the post on his account, not a message about Ramayana.
Kohli is currently playing in the five-match ODI series against New Zealand. The series began with the first ODI on 4 November, in which he took a one-handed diving catch and celebrated with a bow-and-arrow gesture.
An earlier link fans drew
Fans had linked Kohli to Ramayana once before this week, after that catch in the first ODI. Several fans online wondered whether the bow-and-arrow celebration was a reference to Lord Ram and the film. There was no confirmation that the gesture was connected to the film.
That earlier speculation set the stage for the fake screenshot. A bow-and-arrow celebration, a film about Rama, and a cricketer with a huge following made the fabricated image easy to believe and quick to share.
Why the fake spread so fast
The fake post arrived while Ramayana was dominating the box office conversation. The film, which stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, released on 5 November and has crossed Rs 300 crore net in India in five days, according to Sacnilk.
A claim that a cricketer of Kohli's stature had praised the film fitted neatly into that buzz. It gave fans a reason to share the image, and it gave the film's supporters a talking point. None of that makes the screenshot real.
The episode is a reminder to check a claim against the verified account before sharing it. A screenshot can be made in minutes, and a famous name attached to it can carry it across the internet before anyone checks whether the post exists.
