In the ever-watchful world of social media, even an accidental tap can go viral. This was proven true when actor and influencer Avneet Kaur found herself in the thick of digital chatter this past week. It was not for a new project or appearance, but due to a “like” from popular Indian cricketer Virat Kohli.
It all began on May 1, when fans noticed Kohli’s like on a photo of Kaur shared by one of the latter’s fan pages on Instagram. The timing couldn’t have been more conspicuous—it happened just hours after Kohli posted a heartfelt birthday tribute to his wife, actress Anushka Sharma.
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What poured oil on the fire was the fact that Kohli doesn’t follow Kaur on Instagram, leading to a flurry of speculation and an avalanche of memes online.
The episode quickly escalated, with social media buzzing about the unusual interaction. Eventually, Kohli had to step in with a public clarification. Taking to Instagram Stories, the chase master wrote: “I’d like to clarify that while clearing my feed, it appears the algorithm may have mistakenly registered an interaction. There was absolutely no intent behind it. I request that no unnecessary assumptions be made.”
Despite the statement, the damage—or rather, the virality—had been done. The phrase “registered an interaction” turned into a meme trend of its own, with Twitter and Instagram swarming with edits, jokes, and reels. Over the week, both Kohli and Kaur were trending across social platforms.
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While the incident may have been awkward for Kohli, it was a bonanza for Avneet Kaur. According to digital tracking agency BuzzCraft, Kaur gained over a million new Instagram followers in the days following the accidental ‘like’, bringing her total to a whopping 31.8 million. More importantly, the value of her branded posts jumped by 30%—from ₹2 lakh to ₹2.6 lakh per post.
But that wasn’t all. The actor reportedly secured 12 new brand deals in the wake of the sudden spike in attention. Social media strategist Neha Kapoor told in a media report that the entire episode was “organic marketing gold,” calling it a rare example of how accidental fame can translate to tangible commercial benefits.
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