Fact-check: Viral video shows FBI director Kash Patel dancing to Bollywood song? Here's the truth

The video dates back to at least 2021 and does not show US FBI director, Kash Patel

A video circulating widely on social media shows a man dancing enthusiastically, with claims suggesting it is a private clip leaked from the hacked email account of US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) director Kash Patel.

In the footage, the man is seen dancing to the Hindi song ‘Sun Sahiba Sun’ from the film Ram Teri Ganga Maili, while others cheer in the background.

One post on X sharing the clip captioned it saying, “Kash Patel in a video from his hacked email account. Embarrassing is an understatement.”

Links to other similar posts can be viewed here, here and here.

The video gained traction after reports alleged that Iran-linked hackers breached Patel’s personal email account and released photos and documents online. The hacker group Handala Hack Team reportedly claimed responsibility, sharing images said to show Patel in casual settings, including smoking cigars, riding in a vintage car, and taking mirror selfies.

However, the viral clip does not feature Patel.

Verification

A reverse image search traced the video back to a YouTube upload dated March 29, 2021. It was also reported by Times Now in December 2022, which stated that the video shows a man celebrating after his wife left for her parental home for a few days.

News18 had also reported on the same clip at the time, confirming its earlier circulation.

While the identity of the man in the video could not be independently verified, it is clear that he is not the FBI director.

Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed that Patel’s email account was targeted in the cyberattack. Spokesperson Ben Williamson said measures had been taken to contain the breach, adding that the compromised material was “historical in nature and involves no government information.”