YouTuber Payal Gaming breaks silence amid viral video controversy: ‘It's not me’

SOcial media influencer Payal Dhare, sir thomas more popularly known as Payal Gaming, on wed issued a elaborate financial statement regarding a viral picture that was being linked to her online. Payal said that she is neither the person depicted in the clip nor does it have any connection to her life, identity or choices.Also read: Flight disruptions likely amid Delhi fog, low visibility? Air India, SpiceJet issue advisoriesTerming the series of events surrounding the video clip as “distressing” and “personal”, Payal said, “Over the past few days, content has been circulated online that falsely associates my name and image with a video currently being shared on digital platforms. I want to state this clearly and without ambiguity: the individual depicted in that video is not me, and it has no connection to my life, my choices, or my identity.”Payal Dhare is known for her engaging gameplay videos and live streams on YouTube. She comes from a small village named Chhindwara near Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and has 4.5 million subscribers on YouTube.In a social media post on Wednesday, she urged the public and media to “refrain from sharing, reproducing, or speculating about this material in any form.”Also read: WFH to vehicle entry ban: What are the Delhi government's anti-pollution curbs kicking in today?“Appropriate legal steps are being taken to address the misuse of my name and likeness, and to ensure accountability in accordance with the law,” she said.More about Payal DharePayal, along with few other Indian gamers, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year for a discussion about the future of gaming in the country. She was the only female gamer at the table. “I had never imagined that I would become India’s leading female creator,” she had told the prime minister.Although she was interested in gaming, Dhare said she “lacked the facilities at home”. “I did not have a personal mobile phone even in the 12th standard,” she said.Dhare told PM Modi she gathered a basic understanding of gaming through her friend’s brothers, who would go to cyber cafes to play games.“YouTube gaming was gaining popularity in India at the time. I thought I would give it a shot. I wanted to encourage other girls to opt for gaming as a career choice,” Dhare had said.Payal earns around USD 10,000 $ per month, according to News24Online. Her net worth is between ₹1 crore and ₹9 crore, per the outlet. In addition to a successful gaming career, Payel owns a retail line called Thriftxpayal.The controversial videoPayal found herself in the middle of a controversy recently after a video began circulating online, with claims suggesting that she was the woman seen in it. However, her fans have rubbished the claims, with some even calling it a deepfake.According to reports, many are paying up to ₹5,000 to obtain a copy of the video.According to section 67 of the IT Act, sharing obscene or objectionable videos online is punishable by law. If convicted, for the first offence, a person can be fined five lakh rupees or spend three years in jail. For a second or subsequent conviction, the jail term may extend to five years, and the fine may extend to ten lakh rupees.