Actress misidentified as newly elected Delhi chief minister ‘performing martial art stunts’

India’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party swept the polls in Delhi in February 2025, marking its return to power in the capital after more than two decades. But a clip showing a woman performing martial arts stunts with a sword does not show the newly elected chief minister as social media posts claimed; the video in fact shows actor Payal Jadhav.

“Old video of RSS activist Rekha Gupta, who is now the Chief Minister of Delhi. How do you feel now, Kejriwal. Run as far as you can,” reads a Hindi-language X post shared on February 21.

The clip shows a saree-clad woman demonstrating what appears to be sword-fighting moves.

The post surfaced after BJP lawmaker Rekha Gupta took oath as Delhi’s ninth chief minister on February 20 (archived link). 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP won the local legislature election for Delhi held on February 5, ousting Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party that had been in power since 2015 (archived link). Kejriwal, a prominent critic of Modi, spent several months behind bars last year over accusations his party took kickbacks in exchange for liquor licences. 

The BJP is in government nationally but has not controlled the local legislature in Delhi since 1998, so its sweeping victory taking more than two-thirds of seats in the polls was both symbolic and strategically important. 

The video was shared alongside similar claims on Facebook and X.

Sword fighting is a traditional Indian martial art technique (archived link). Old women in India teach the practice to younger girls as a form of self-defence (archived link).

Comments from users suggest they took pride in the video as it purportedly showed the new chief minister showcasing her prowess.

“BJP has got another Yogi, today Delhi and will rule the country tomorrow,” one user commented, likening the woman to another firebrand Hindu leader of the BJP.

Another user said, “I think that in our country all girls should be given self-defence training in schools. It should be made mandatory in all schools. So that girls and women can defend themselves if needed.”

But the video shows dancer and actor Payal Jadhav, not Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

Unrelated video

A reverse image search on Google found the same video uploaded on the verified Instagram account of Jadhav on February 19, 2025 (archived link).

“A tribute to the great deeds of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” read the caption in parts.

Shivaji was an Indian ruler who founded the Maratha kingdom in 17th century India (archived link).

In another post on Instagram, Jadhav issued a clarification over the video confirming it shows her, not the Delhi chief minister (archived link).

“Recently, it has come to my attention that this video is being circulated on social media with a mention that it is of the Honorable Chief Minister, Mrs. Rekha Gupta. This information is incorrect,” she wrote.

AFP reached out to Jadhav who shared her Instagram statement confirming the video showed her.