A resurfaced video from 2018, now making rounds again on social media, is fueling fresh accusations against Priyanka Chopra, this time alleging that she used “hired fans” at the airport to boost her PR. Shared widely following the announcement of her upcoming film Varanasi, the clip has reignited debates about fan authenticity in celebrity culture.
The video, originally captured at an airport, shows two men asking Priyanka for her autograph. Minutes later, the same two men appear again at a different terminal, chasing her for more autographs, this time in front of media cameras. Critics online now suggest this repetition hints that the “fans” were invited or paid to draw attention.
Many social media users are not holding back. One comment read: “2 people ask for autographs … and the same people ask for it again … as if they were her fans. … Fake PR team.” Another added: “She is literally handling her own fan page.” On X, one prominent voice put it simply, “Such a fake PR star!”
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In the background of all this is Priyanka’s comeback buzz around Varanasi, her film with SS Rajamouli, Mahesh Babu, and Prithviraj Sukumaran. While the project excites her audience, the controversy threatens to overshadow its launch.
Despite the uproar, Priyanka appears unfazed. She continues to share glimpses from her journey promoting the film, posting warm, collaborative images with her co-stars after the Globetrotter event in Hyderabad. Her focus, she seems to signal, remains firmly on her work, even when the internet is buzzing about her personal brand strategy.
Yet the clip has sparked broader conversation around the pressure on celebrities to manufacture visibility. In a media ecosystem driven by virality, the line between genuine fandom and staged moments can get dangerously blurred. The video raises a hard question: in an age of curated content, how much of what looks “real” is actually orchestrated?
Whether these men really are paid actors or just enthusiastic fans following her around is hard to prove beyond this clip. But the very fact that people are questioning it speaks to the fragile trust between stars and the public.
As Varanasi gears up for its release, this resurfaced controversy could prompt both fans and critics to rethink what authenticity means in the digital age. For Priyanka, it’s yet another test: not just of her star power, but of how her public persona holds up when people wonder who really is in her fan club.