Viral Video: The infamous deepfake technology has now turned its attention towards Virat Kohli, the top cricket player from India. A video that has gone viral on the internet features Kohli promoting a betting programme that offers large returns with little initial input. Moreover, the video’s makers altered the film by adding a well-known TV journalist from India in an effort to increase the video’s legitimacy.
Virat Kohli Promoting ‘Aviator’ Betting App
In the widely shared video, Kohli is seen promoting the “Aviator” betting app while speaking in Hindi. The video also seems to have been edited to include popular TV journalist Anjana Om Kashyap, fabricating a scene that suggests the promo was shown during a live news programme, in an attempt to boost the video’s legitimacy. Additionally, the advertising states that Kohli made significant earnings with a small initial investment.
Deepfake Technology Alters Virat Kohli’s Well-Known Interview Clip
The video’s creators apparently used a clip from the cricket player Virat Kohli‘s well-known interview with Graham Bensinger, overlaid the cricketer’s original voice with what sounds like a fake one, and used deepfake technology to synchronise Kohli’s lip movements so it looked like he was lip-syncing the fake message.
Kohli’s Unprecedented Endorsement
Notably, Kohli has never previously supported these kinds of gaming platforms. His support for the software, which purports to offer substantial returns on investments, is suggested by the video. The advertising claims that Kohli invested just INR 1,000 over the course of three days and made INR 81,000. Virat Kohli has not yet made an official statement about the deepfake video or its contents.
Sachin Tendulkar Targeted in Previous Deepfake Scam
In the past, a deepfake video of former Indian hitter Sachin Tendulkar also appeared on Facebook. It was a digitally edited movie with the former batter’s voice, pretending to be him endorsing a gaming app. The goal of the deepfake was to create the impression that Tendulkar and his daughter Sara had won large quantities of money by taking part in a particular online game.
