Social media is flooded with images purportedly showing the inauguration of a golden statue of Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma in Mumbai. The viral images appear to depict a grand unveiling ceremony near a beachside location with a massive crowd in attendance.
Several versions of the images are circulating online. In one set, Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan is seen. In another version, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is inaugurating the same statue in the presence of cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma himself.
The above post can be seen here. (Archive)
NM VERIFIED
NewsMobile verified the claim and found the image to be AI-generated.
Searching with relevant keywords to check whether any media reports or official announcements existed regarding the inauguration of a Rohit Sharma statue around Bandstand in Mumbai, the NM team found no credible news reports, photographs, or media coverage supporting the claim.
Further analysis of the viral images reveals multiple visual anomalies. The images appear unnaturally sharp and polished, a common trait of AI-generated visuals. The facial features of people present look distorted and blurry, while several individuals in the background appear awkwardly placed and repetitive. Additionally, the statues themselves differ across images.
Interestingly, the visuals also show a large number of photojournalists covering the event. Yet, no such photographs or reports have surfaced from any mainstream or local media outlet, which would be highly unlikely.
The AI detection tool, Hive Moderation, also confirm that the images are AI-generated.
So, in conclusion, we can say that the viral images claiming to show the inauguration of Rohit Sharma’s statue in Mumbai are not real but AI-generated.
