The visibly disturbed cricketer took to Instagram and urged fans to know where to draw the line

Instagram @anushkasharma

Virat Kohli’s name is no stranger to headlines but the ongoing T20 World Cup has found the cricketer at the eye of the storm off the pitch as well. In a video that has now gone viral, a staff member of Crown Perth appears to have filmed the inside of his hotel room in an unconscionable invasion of his privacy. Titled ‘King Kohli’s hotel room’, the video slowly pans over his personal belongings, the contents of his open suitcase and the items laid out on his nightstand—even rummaging through an empty wardrobe in a bid to hunt down more of his personal possessions.

Cricket players in India have always been subjected to idolatry, however, the blatant blurring of the lines between the personal and the professional speaks of a fevered fetishism. Left shaken, Kohli took to Instagram to share the video and penned, “I understand that fans get very happy and excited seeing their favourite players and get excited to meet them and I’ve always appreciated that. But this video here is appalling and it’s made me feel very paranoid about my privacy. If I cannot have privacy in my own hotel room, then where can I really expect any personal space at all?? I’m NOT okay with this kind of fanaticism and absolute invasion of privacy. Please respect people’s privacy and not treat them as a commodity for entertainment.”

While the hotel has since issued an apology and claimed that the concerned individuals have been asked to stand down, Anushka Sharma shared her horror at having her husband’s privacy mercilessly invaded and broadcast to the world. Sharing his video on her Instagram page, she wrote a scathing message, “Have experienced few incidents where fans have shown no compassion or grace in the past but this really is the worst thing. An absolute disgrace and violation of a human being and anyone who sees this and thinks ‘Celebrity ho! Toh deal karna padega’ should know that you are also part of the problem. Exercising some self control helps everyone. Also, if this is happening in your bedroom then where is the line?”

The couple had previously appealed to the media to refrain from sharing their daughter Vamika’s image after it had been broadcast during India’s tour of South Africa. The latest incident drew the ire of the cricketing community, with Aussie batsman David Warner calling it “completely unacceptable,” and merits thought on the entitlement baked within our parasocial relationship with celebrities and public figures. Those in quest of further proof need look no further than a recent viral video of a frightened Kareena Kapoor Khan attempting to regain composure after a fan pulls her for a selfie at the airport. Even as she mouths a placatory “thank you” to the fans clustered outside her car, the panic that flits across her face at having her personal space invaded is a reminder that the cacophony around celebrity culture cannot be allowed to drown out a single voice of consent.