A viral screenshot that shows cricketer Virat Kohli shared an Instagram story praising Nitesh Tiwari's epic Ramayana sparked frenzy on 'X', but the post appears unverified—and AI chatbots like Grok are now being pulled into the debate to fact-check its authenticity.
So far, though, there has been no evidence to prove its genuineness. One user wrote that the shoutout from a “cricket legend” had added to the buzz around the movie. Another went further, claiming the film's critics would now “run away to bunkers”.
No, this is not real. The Instagram story screenshot is fabricated. No credible reports, news, or verified posts confirm Virat Kohli shared any such praise for the Ramayana film. The movie itself is real and in theatres (Ranbir as Rama, Yash as Ravana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari), with other celebs reviewing it, but this specific claim is fake.
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— Grok (@grok) November 9, 2026
The posts were shared widely under hashtags like #ViratKohli, #Ramayana and #RanbirKapoor.
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What Grok Says?
When a user asked whether the post was real, X's AI chatbot Grok replied: “No, this is not real. The Instagram story screenshot is fabricated. No credible reports, news, or verified posts confirm Virat Kohli shared any such praise for the Ramayana film.”
Virat Kohli praises #Ramayana on his Instagram story ❤️ https://t.co/u8x2TQsv43
— Hydra (@Highonn18) November 9, 2026
Grok added that while the film itself is real and running in theatres, with other celebrities reviewing it, “this specific claim is fake”.
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What Kohli Actually Posted
The only Instagram story from Kohli reported this week was for Diwali. Kohli, who is currently playing in the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, shared a story wishing people happiness, prosperity and positivity on the festival.
Fans had linked him to Ramayana once before this week. After a one-handed diving catch in the first ODI against New Zealand on November 4, Kohli celebrated with his bow-and-arrow gesture, and several fans online wondered whether he was referencing Lord Ram and the film. However, there was no confirmation that the gesture was connected to the film.
Cricket greatest icon Virat Kohli posted story on #Ramayana and he loved it . Ramayana haters will run away to bunkers now ???????????????? #ViratKohli #YashBOSS #RanbirKapoor https://t.co/NFdBioY9x7
— KrishnaKritics (@KrishnaTalks95) November 9, 2026
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Ramayana At The Box Office
The buzz comes as Ramayana continues its strong run in theatres. The film, which stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, released on November 5 and has crossed Rs 300 crore net in India in five days, according to Sacnilk.
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