In a viral video misattribution of a dance performance to Ananya Das, the former District Collector of Sambalpur, Odisha, the actual performer has been identified as dancer Mradula Mahajan. The video, set to Jubin Nautiyal's 'Mere Ghar Ram Aaye Hain,' circulated with misleading captions following the consecration ceremony of Hindu deity Ram at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024.
The video gained popularity on social media platforms, particularly Facebook and Twitter (formerly known as Twitter), accumulating over 1.3 lakh views on one X post alone. The captions falsely claimed that the woman showcased in the dance performance was Ananya Das, adding a note of celebration with 'जय श्री राम' (Jai Shri Ram).
Ananya Das swiftly addressed the viral video, denying her involvement in the performance. In a quote-post shared on the viral X post, Das commented, 'Truly a good performance- sadly not mine.' This clarification from Das sparked further interest in verifying the authenticity of the video.
India TV's Fact Check team initiated a comprehensive analysis, scanning replies to the viral post on X. Ananya Das's quote-post rejecting her connection with the dance performance was a crucial lead. To validate the information, a reverse image search on keyframes from the viral video directed the team to the original source on Facebook. This post, shared by Mradula Mahajan on January 20, 2024, clearly established her as the actual performer.
Furthermore, Mahajan's own post featured the video with the caption "राम लल्ला के आने की खूब खूब बधाईया" (Translation: Many many congratulations on the arrival of Ram Lalla). In addition, Mahajan criticised the misidentification in the caption, asserting that it was not Ananya Das but herself featured in the dance.
The identical video was shared on Mahajan's Instagram account on January 6, 2024, where she dedicated the performance to the 'homecoming of Lord Ram.' While efforts to contact Mahajan for direct confirmation are underway, her consistent posts across platforms validate her as the true performer in the video.
This incident serves as a reminder of the need for caution in sharing content on social media, emphasising the importance of fact-checking to ensure accurate information dissemination.
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