Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan shared the frame with Salman Khan after several decades at Anant Ambani’s wedding.
Fact: The viral photo featuring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with Salman Khan and his sister is edited.
Boasting of a guest list that included Kim Kardashian, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all three Khans of Bollywood and who’s who of the tech world, the Ambani wedding is sure to go down in history as one of the major wedding celebrations ever.
While the internet could not stop gushing at their favourite stars and idols blinging it out in traditional Indian attires, one particular photograph has garnered undue attention. The image, purportedly showing Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan sharing the frame after several decades, has gone viral among many sections of social media users. However, Newschecker found the viral image to be edited.
Social media users shared the image with captions that read, “Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at Anant Ambani and Radhika merchant reception,” indicating that the image was being perceived as authentic.
We found similar claims being shared by users in other languages as well, including Bangladeshi media outlet ‘Prothom Alo’ which used the viral image in one of its reports on the event.
Fact Check/ Verification
Upon conducting a reverse image search of the viral photo, we found a similar one featuring Salman Khan and his sister Arpita Khan on a stock image website named Getty Images. The image showed the two wearing the same clothes, and had other identical factors including background, and expressions. The image of Arpita Khan and Salman Khan was clicked during the Lagna Vidhi ceremony of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding on July 12, 2024, in Mumbai, the description of the image on Getty images revealed.
The photo was also posted on Zoom TV’s official Instagram handle.
Upon further investigation, we found images of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, accompanied by her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan at the wedding reception. They can be seen in Pinkvilla, ANI, and other media outlets. Aishwarya’s clothes and expressions are similar to the one in the viral image.
Thus, we find that the image of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan posing with Salman Khan and his sister Arpita Khan is digitally manipulated.
Conclusion
Thus, we can conclude that the viral photo featuring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with Salman Khan and his sister is edited.
Result: Altered Image
Sources
Image by Getty Images
Image by Zoom TV
Image by Pinkvilla, ANI
Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
