Fact Check: Viral video of ‘drunk’ BJP leader Sunny Deol on Mumbai streets is film footage
The video shows behind-the-scenes footage from a film shoot.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 8 Dec 2023 1:56 PM GMT
Screengrab of the post making the false claim (Source: X/@bolly_goss)
Hyderabad: A video of actor and BJP leader Sunny Deol, also a Member of Parliament of Lok Sabha from Gurdaspur constituency of Punjab, is circulating on social media. Those sharing the video claim it shows him inebriated at the Juhu Circle in Mumbai.
In the video, an auto stops beside Deol who can be seen walking unsteadily on a main road at night. The auto driver then helps Deol get into the auto.
An X handle shared the video with the caption, “#SunnyDeol seen dancing drunk on the road at night. (sic)”
(Source: X/@bolly_goss)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the video shows behind-the-scenes footage from a film shoot.
We ran a relevant keyword search and came across behind-the-scenes footage posted by Deol on X on December 6.
The video shot from a different angle shows the actor walking unsteadily, clad in the same dress and surrounded by several crew members, including many camerapersons. Clarifying the rumour, the actor hints in the caption that the scene is from his upcoming film ‘Safar’.
We compared a screengrab from both videos and found the Deol sporting the same cloth, wearing a band in one hand and a watch in the other hand, which confirmed that the viral video shows the behind-the-scenes footage of a film shoot.
A PTI report published by The Telegraph quoted Vishal Rana of Echelon Productions clarifying that the viral video shows behind-the-scenes footage of the film Safar.
“It was a scene from our forthcoming tentatively titled film ‘Safar’ for which Sunny Paaji was shooting a night schedule. Request all the fans not to spread fake news around this video that is going viral on the internet,” Rana said in a statement.
According to IMDb, Vishal Rana is an Indian film producer and founder of the Echelon Productions.
Hence, we conclude that the video which claims to show a 'drunk' Sunny Deol roaming the streets of Mumbai is false.
