Fake News Busters Check confirmed that the viral clip of Virat Kohli’s statue was created using CGI technology by a mattress company called Duroflex.
Claim
Recently, a large golden statue of Virat Kohli was unveiled at Times Square, New York City.
Fact
This statue is not genuine; rather, it was produced using CGI technology by Duroflex, a mattress company.
Misleading Posts On Social Media
Is there really a statue of Virat Kohli at Times Square in New York City? A video circulating on social media claims a “life-sized” golden statue of the Indian cricketer was recently unveiled there.
A Facebook user shared the viral clip stating, “Just unveiled: A larger-than-life statue of Virat Kohli at the iconic Times Square. This King’s Duty, we are going global and making history!” This claim was also echoed by various news and entertainment channels including Hindustan Times and ZoomTV. Archived link: https://perma.cc/M3E7-9YQV.
Verification
Upon reverse-searching keyframes from the viral video, it was discovered that Duroflex, a mattress company, created it. On June 23, 2024, Duroflex uploaded the video on its official Instagram channel. The caption included the hashtag #CGIanimation, indicating that the statue was generated using computer-generated imagery (CGI), a technology that employs computer graphics to produce images or videos.
During the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, the CGI-created Virat Kohli statue was featured as part of Duroflex’s marketing campaign. Kohli became Duroflex’s brand ambassador in May of the previous year.
Conclusion
Fake News Busters Fact Check confirmed that the Virat Kohli statue in the viral clip was CGI, not real.
