The video of Virat Kohli’s hotel room getting leaked is an alarming reminder of the commodification of celebrities

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.”