Indian gaming creator Payal Dhare, popularly known as Payal Gaming, has scripted a powerful comeback months after being dragged into a disturbing deepfake controversy. The influencer recently met Google CEO Sundar Pichai during his India visit, a moment that quickly went viral and marked a turning point in her public narrative.
Payal Gaming meets Sundar Pichai during India visit
Taking to X, Payal shared a smiling picture from the event and wrote, “From gaming screens to meeting the man behind Google dreams @sundarpichai What a day!!” The interaction reportedly happened during Pichai’s visit for the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and the ICC T20 World Cup.
The photo sparked excitement among fans, many calling it a “full-circle moment” after the challenges she faced in recent months. For India’s rapidly expanding creator ecosystem, the meeting symbolised a bridge between homegrown digital talent and global tech leadership.
From Deepfake Scandal to Legal Action
In December 2025, Payal Dhare was targeted in a shocking deepfake case. An AI-generated explicit video falsely titled “Payal Gaming Dubai MMS” began circulating online, misleadingly claiming to feature the YouTuber.
The gaming influencer firmly denied the claims, stating that the clip was fabricated using artificial intelligence. Describing the content as “deeply hurtful” and “dehumanising,” she approached the Maharashtra Cyber Department seeking strict legal action.
An FIR (No. 52/2025) was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the IT Act, citing charges related to online defamation, identity misuse, and publishing sexually explicit material.
In January 2026, Maharashtra Cyber officials traced the origin of the deepfake video to an individual identified as Abhishek Jadhav. Authorities confirmed that the accused admitted to creating the manipulated clip using AI tools and later issued a public apology video.
Netizens unhappy about her recent post
Netizens expressed shock and disappointment on her recent post with Google CEO. They questioned her talent and asked what her special achievement was that she got to meet the CEO of Google. One user commented, "please ask your team to instead organize your meetings with people who are actually contributing to the society rather than this bs. There are many Indians who are doing wonders in STEM..meet them, support them."
