Tamannaah Bhatia's comment brings closure or does it? How dating buzz keeps gaslighting public memory

Tamannaah Bhatia recently shut down an old rumour that linked her with Pakistani cricketer Abdul Razzaq. The buzz had resurfaced online after a photo from 2017, where the two were seen attending a jewellery event in Dubai, went viral once again. Clarifying the speculation, Tamannaah told The Lallantop, “I was invited to an event, he was also invited... People just connected two dots randomly and made it something else altogether.”

While the clarification came with a dash of humour, the situation is familiar territory for Indian celebrities especially women who find themselves unwillingly pulled into dating gossip with male sports stars. And often, there’s little more than a photo or a handshake to set off the frenzy.

The Photo That Sparked It All

The image in question shows Tamannaah and Abdul Razzaq at what was clearly a public event. There is no private moment, no indication of personal closeness. Still, over the years, the photo has been recycled with captions hinting at a “secret relationship.” The recent viral wave forced Tamannaah to address it, years after the image first emerged.

Interestingly, this isn't even the only time Tamannaah has been caught in a baseless rumour. Earlier, she had to deny dating cricketer Virat Kohli, after the two appeared in a mobile commercial together in 2012. “We spoke only during the shoot,” she had said back then.

Past Cases That Show a Pattern

Tamannaah isn’t the only one to face this. In 2011, reports linked Nargis Fakhri with Yuvraj Singh after they were spotted at a few public events. She later clarified they were just friends. Around the same time, rumours swirled about Deepika Padukone and MS Dhoni, though she never acknowledged them.

In most of these cases, the actor’s public image took a hit—not due to any confirmed relationship, but because the gossip machine framed them as attention-seeking or romantically inconsistent. For female actors especially, these narratives tend to stick longer and cut deeper. The scrutiny is harsher, the assumptions quicker, and the reputational damage harder to undo.

Why These Rumours Take Off

The answer lies partly in the obsession with Bollywood-cricket crossovers. Ever since Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi married Sharmila Tagore, and later Anushka Sharma tied the knot with Virat Kohli, the public has shown a sustained appetite for such power pairings. So when a film actor is seen with a cricketer even in the most neutral setting speculation takes flight.

Social media adds fuel to the fire. A single tweet or Instagram post can snowball into full-blown gossip. With AI-generated images, manipulated screenshots, and fan-made shipping edits circulating online, separating fact from fiction gets harder. Once a rumour is picked up by clickbait-driven websites, it’s nearly impossible to fully erase it.

The Gender Divide

There's also an unmistakable gender dynamic in how these rumours are received. Male actors or cricketers rarely face the same intensity of scrutiny or moral judgement. A male cricketer casually pictured with an actress might be seen as charming or “playing the field.” The actress, however, risks being portrayed as “using” the association for publicity.

Moreover, many of these rumours lead to years of online trolling or unwanted headlines, affecting not just the public image but also the mental health of the individuals involved. Tamannaah’s case is a prime example of how an innocent photo, if misunderstood, can follow a person for years.

The Business of Gossip

The rise of viral content has transformed how entertainment news circulates. Often, a single image or interaction is enough to spark widespread speculation. In Tamannaah’s case, the 2017 photograph with Abdul Razzaq continued to make rounds online years after the event. The renewed interest, despite the absence of new developments, reflects how old content can easily be reinterpreted or misused to fit a trending narrative.

When she finally addressed the rumour, her tone was less defensive and more resigned. “I thought I’ll finally say something and end it,” she said. But even with a clear denial, such stories rarely vanish entirely. On the internet, misinformation tends to linger, often resurfacing in cycles repackaged for new audiences with familiar curiosity.

Final Thought

Celebrity dating rumours especially cross-industry ones tend to stick, often unfairly. While some turn out to be true, most begin with harmless encounters that get misread and blown out of proportion. For every real story like Virat and Anushka, there are countless speculative pairings with no real basis. Tamannaah’s recent statement isn’t just a denial, it highlights how easily gossip narratives form. In today’s digital landscape, even a single photo can spark a full-blown story. That’s why celebrities feel the need to clearly separate what’s public, private, and imagined.

Sometimes, persistent rumours end up being true like Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul. But even then, the constant speculation can cause stress, reputational damage, or unfair judgment long before any truth emerges. Speculation may be part of entertainment reporting, but so is restraint. Instead of overanalyzing every moment,

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