The Burden of Being SRK: Autopsy of Online Hate

From online boycott campaigns to coordinated communal attacks, the signing of a Bangladeshi cricketer by KKR triggered a wave of digital outrage targeting Shah Rukh Khan. This article traces how social media narratives were amplified, misrepresented clips weaponised, and pressure mounted—ultimately leading to a player’s exit from the IPL squad.

On December 16, 2025, Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bid for and acquired Mustafizur Rahman, a Bangladeshi fast bowler. The bidding began at a base price of ₹2 crore, and KKR eventually secured him for ₹9.20 crore. Actor and KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan backlash and online hate over the inclusion of the Bangladeshi bowler, with critics citing recent atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.Several politicians and Hindu spiritual leaders came forward to criticise Shah Rukh Khan for the decision. A few key accounts amplified the backlash on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), propelling certain hashtags.Even the Instagram accounts of Shah Rukh Khan and Mustafizur Rahman were subjected to communal comments. 

Amid the backlash, KKR released Mustafizur Rahman from their squad following a directive issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on January 3, 2026.

This report examines the trend as a whole and highlights its key aspects.

We examined the social media platform X between December 16, 2025, and January 2, 2026, and found that hashtags such as #BoycottBangladesh, #BoycottShahRukhKhan, #BoycottIPL, and #BoycottSRK were particularly prominent. A closer analysis indicated that specific social media accounts played a key role in amplifying the trend. These accounts are frequently flagged by fact-checkers and journalists as extreme right-wing and as regular peddlers of false communal narratives.

Who amplified the trend online, and what was their modus operandi?

On December 16, 2025, Voice of Hindus, an X account, shared the photo of Mustafizur Rahman with a caption, “Big Breaking 🚨 Kolkata Knight riders purchased Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman in #IPLAuction! Absolutely Shameful moment for everyone, indirectly they are funding terrorists.”

As of January 3, 2026, the post garnered 6,48,300 views, 10,000 likes, and 3,600 reposts.

The caption alleges that the IPL team KKR is indirectly funding terrorism by acquiring Mustafizur Rahman.

Most of the responses aligned with the idea of the post, attributing the acquisition of the Bangladeshi bowler by KKR to Shah Rukh Khan’s ownership of the team. Swaying from the rest, a user remarked, “The government allowed Bangladeshi to play in India, the BCCI allows Bangladeshi players for IPL, but blame KKR.” Another user replied, “This is shameful, but giving safe haven to convicted criminals is fine.”

A X user mentioned official accounts of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), BCCI Domestic, and IPL, and quote-posted Voice of Hindu’s saying, “Dear @BCCI @BCCIdomestic @IPL, we Indians will definitely boycott IPL if you allow these Bangladeshi players to play in our pride IPL. Our money should not go into the hands of some terrorists. Nowadays IPL is only harming our cricket, especially test cricket, and now these shits.”

On the same day, X account @KreatelyMedia used the hashtag #BoycottBangladesh and shared a post which reads, “Bangladeshis are killing Hindus. Bangladeshis enter India illegally. Bangladeshis want to cut off the 7 sisters states. Bangladeshis want to destroy India.  Instead of teaching them a lesson, we Indians are paying them hefty money.  #BoycottBangladesh.”

As of January 3, the post received 73,400 views, 3,100 likes, and 1,400 reposts. Giving a communal shift, a user replied, “SRK will even support Islamic terrorists. It’s ummah first, Muslim first, nation last.”

On December 17, 2025, @KreatelyMedia posted on X, tagging Randhir Jaswal, the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, India, asking for the cancellation of Mustafizur Rahman’s Indian Visa.

The post received 62,600 views, 4,400 likes, and 2,200 reposts, as of January 3.

Using a similar communal caption targeting Shah Rukh Khan, a right-wing

account, @ssaratht, shared a post on the same day. The post suggested that the actor was employing Bangladeshi cricketers because Pakistani cricketers are banned from the IPL.

The post got more than 14,000 views as of January 3.

Countering the post, a user quoted it, saying, “Question Modi’s government on why it is allowing Bangladeshi players in the IPL. Ban them like Pakistani players.”

Several X accounts shared a video featuring Shah Rukh Khan allegedly showing support for Pakistani players after the Mumbai attacks— occurred on November 26, 2008.

We reviewed the video and found that the post features a clipped segment from the NDTV program India Questions SRK and Karan Johar. The episode, which aired in 2010, includes Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar discussing their forthcoming movie My Name Is Khan with Prannoy Roy, a well-known Indian journalist, and the co-founder and former executive director of NDTV.

During the show, while responding to a question from the audience about IPL teams not selecting any Pakistani players for the third season of the IPL in 2010, Shah Rukh Khan stated that, as a stakeholder, wider sentiments needed to be considered, given the diplomatic issues between the two countries. He also added that sports should be kept separate from diplomatic tussles, noting that there were talented Pakistani Twenty20 players.

The clipped segment from the show was widely shared online, with claims that the actor continued to support Pakistani cricketers even after the 26/11 attacks.

On December 23, 2025, Sudarshan News journalist Sagar Kumar and Yogi Devnath, the coordinator of the Rashtriya Hindu Sangh (as per his X account bio), used derogatory language targeting Mustafizur Rahman to register their protest over the matter.

Between December 20 and December 24, 2025, we observed several X accounts—namely @smartinvestor, @Bhav1212B, @ModifiedHN17, and @SanjeevKatoch97—actively amplifying the trend. These accounts engaged with or referenced posts targeting KKR, Shah Rukh Khan, and Mustafizur Rahman, using identical hashtags and copied text, indicating robotic or coordinated behaviour.

Politicians’ and Hindu spiritual leaders’ take on the matter

On January 1, 2026, while addressing a public gathering, Sangeet Som, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and a former member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, called Shah Rukh Khan a traitor.  On the same day, the Hindu spiritual leader, Jagadguru Ramanandacharya, responded, saying that Shah Rukh Khan’s stance has consistently been at odds with the nation, and his character has always been questionable and “anti-national”.

On January 1, Devkinandan Thakur, a Hindu spiritual leader and religious orator, also lashed out at Shah Rukh Khan, stating that India has made him a superstar, and now he is repaying the country by allowing Bangladeshi cricketers to be part of his team.

On January 2, while talking to the Asian News International (ANI), Anand Dubey, spokesperson of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), stated that the actor should show his gratitude to the nation and drop the Bangladeshi player from his team. On the same day, BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar, while talking to Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), said, “I have submitted petitions seeking the registration of a case and an investigation into the sources of Shah Rukh Khan’s income; his statements are often critical of India. I believe these issues should be examined by the appropriate authorities. I have also expressed concern over developments in Bangladesh, including reports of violence against women, and the alleged influence of external forces. In this context, I have raised questions and sought accountability through legal and constitutional means.”The chief Imam of All India Imam Organisation, on January 2, suggested that KKR selecting a Bangladeshi player in the IPL auction, despite having information regarding the atrocities being committed against Hindus in Bangladesh, is a matter of regret.

SRK’s Instagram posts targeted

We discovered that social media posts on Shah Rukh Khan’s official Instagram account were also targeted.

Calling Shah Rukh Khan a traitor, several accounts called for a boycott of the actor. Many also demanded the removal of the Bangladeshi player. Others questioned the actor for allegedly turning a blind eye to atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh and urged him to move to Pakistan or Bangladesh.

Although many of these posts have since been taken down, Mustafizur Rahman’s Instagram account was also targeted in a similar manner.

On January 3, in response to the significant backlash directed at Shah Rukh Khan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) allegedly instructed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the 2026 IPL.