Fact Check: Prakash Raj takes holy dip at Maha Kumbh Mela? No, viral image is AI-generated

Hyderabad: Prakash Raj, a well-known actor, often critical of prime minister Narendra Modi-led government’s policies, is the subject of a viral claim suggesting that he visited the ensuing Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj and took a holy dip in the sacred waters.

A picture of a man resembling Prakash Raj is being widely shared, with the claim that it shows the actor attending the religious event.

An X user on social media shared the image with the caption, “Hindu hater Prakash Raj, who doesn’t believe in God, has gone to Kumbhmela to pollute it! Now I understand what they mean by pollution! (sic)”(Archive)

A similar post can be seen here. (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The image is AI-generated.

We ran a reverse image search using the viral photo and found it published by Asianet Suvarna News in a Kannada article titled ‘Prakash Raj taking a holy dip at the Kumbh Mela, AI image goes viral on social media!’ It was dated January 27, 2025.

The report confirmed that Prakash Raj’s legal team clarified that the image was not a real photograph, but ‘graphics.’ The report also clarified that the artificial image was created using AI (Artificial Intelligence).

To further verify its authenticity, we ran the image through AI detection tools like Hive Moderation and Sightengine. Sightengine determined that the image was 98 per cent likely to be AI-generated, while Hive Moderation rated it 99.9 per cent likely to contain AI-generated content.

Additionally, a thorough review of Prakash Raj’s social media revealed no posts or mentions of the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela, further debunking the claim that he attended the event.

Therefore, we conclude that the viral image is AI-generated.