A video claiming to show a deeply emotional Virat Kohli breaking into tears while holding the IPL trophy alongside his wife, Anushka Sharma, is circulating rapidly across social media platforms.
Coming fresh off Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) sensational IPL 2026 title defense against the Gujarat Titans, the clip has spread like wildfire. Millions of fans have shared it, convinced that it captured an intimate, raw moment from RCB’s grand post-match celebrations at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. However, a comprehensive fact-check reveals that the viral footage is completely fabricated.
A closer, technical inspection of the video points to several structural inconsistencies that confirm it was artificially generated using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) video tools. Viewers and digital investigators quickly flagged that both Kohli and Anushka’s physical features, facial expressions, and textures look significantly distorted and unnatural compared to their actual appearance during the live broadcast of the IPL 2026 final celebrations.
The Anatomy of an AI Fake: Missing Details
The absolute dead giveaway of the video’s lack of authenticity lies in Anushka Sharma’s attire and distinct styling choices on the night of the final. Throughout the high-octane match and the official post-victory celebrations on the ground, Anushka was spotted wearing a very specific, choker-style Tulsi mala (sacred basil beads beads gifted by spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj) as a prominent part of her stadium look. The accessory had already become a major talking point on social media, clearly captured by official sports broadcasters and high-resolution paparazzi photographs. In the viral AI-generated clip, however, this highly visible necklace is entirely missing from her neck.
Furthermore, the shape and reflective texture of the IPL trophy cradled in the video diverge significantly from the design of the actual silverware presented to RCB captain Rajat Patidar during the official ceremony. Unnatural body physics, irregular background crowd movements, and artificial stadium commentary overlap further solidify that the clip is a deepfake rather than genuine live footage.
Real, Unscripted Emotions Lit Up Ahmedabad
This wave of deepfakes comes amid an actual outpouring of genuine, highly emotional moments that define RCB’s historic back-to-back championship era. While the crying video is fake, real cameras captured endless beautiful moments as Kohli celebrated anchoring the chase with a brilliant, unbeaten 42-ball 75.
Immediately after hitting the winning runs, Kohli was seen blowing kisses to Anushka in the VIP stands, eventually bringing her down to the turf to share a warm, joyful embrace. Authentic clips of their real interactions have rightfully taken over the internet, including a heart-melting moment where a smiling Kohli and Anushka stopped to play with RCB teammate Krunal Pandya’s young son, pulling his cheeks ahead of the presentation ceremony. Fans are urged to rely only on official broadcasting channels and verified news platforms to avoid falling for sophisticated AI misinformation during the peak of IPL victory celebrations.