In recent days, a digitally altered KBC video claiming to be from the popular quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) has been widely shared on social media platforms. Allegations accompany the video, suggesting that a contestant named Shashwat Goel wrongly answered a question about the Mahakal Corridor in Ujjain, resulting in a loss of Rs. 7.5 crore.
Various political influencers and accounts affiliated with opposing parties, notably pro-Congress accounts like @shaandelhite and @AnuragVerma_SP, have broadly shared the digitally altered KBC video.
The Truth of Digitally Altered KBC Video:
Contrary to the claims in the circulated video, the original KBC episode did not feature any questions about the Mahakal Corridor. The contestant Shashwat Goel did not incur a loss due to a wrong response related to this construction project. The factual question that led to his loss was unrelated and pertained to the British Army in India.
Our Finding/Investigation:
Upon closely inspecting the digitally altered KBC video, we detected signs of audio manipulation. As the show’s host, Amitabh Bachchan, gave the question, a clear change in the tone of the audio, including changes in voice and ambient sounds, was followed. This audio strongly shows tampering with the original footage.
Moreover, to validate our findings, we did a keyword search and located an article by the Indian Express [archive] that confirmed the actual question posed to Shashwat Goel during KBC Season 14. This article proved that the question had no connection to the Mahakal Corridor and instead focused on the British Army’s motto in India. Cross-referencing our information with an official KBC India video on YouTube further confirmed the realism of the original question.
The Intent of Sharing the Video and Conclusion:
The motive behind circulating this video appears to be politically motivated. Certain political influencers are leveraging the video to advance their agendas and sway public opinion ahead of the upcoming state assembly election in Madhya Pradesh. The misleading video targets Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his BJP-led government. You can refer to the findings of this inquiry in the Twitter thread embedded below.
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— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) September 10, 2023
ANALYSIS: Fake
FACT: A digitally altered video of KBC is being circulated that shows Amitabh Bachchan presenting a question to contestant Shashwat Goel. The question reads, Which Government built the Mahakal Corridor in Ujjain? (1/3) pic.twitter.com/4BoiSpN70R
Claim: A video suggests that KBC contestant Shashwat Goel lost due to an incorrect answer about the Mahakal Corridor.
Fact: The viral video was digitally altered and manipulated, and the actual KBC question had no connection to the Mahakal Corridor. The contestant lost due to a different question concerning the British Army in India.
