Old video shared as firecrackers burst at screening of actor Vijay's film ‘GOAT’

What's the claim?

A video circulating widely on social media shows firecrackers being set off inside a movie theater, with claims that it depicts an incident during the screening of Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay's latest film, 'GOAT,' in Tamil Nadu.

Users on X (formerly Twitter) shared the video with comments expressing outrage with captions such as, "This is pure recklessness. Firecrackers during a screening of Vijay’s new movie 'GOAT' in Tamil Nadu. How were they allowed in the theater? What action have the authorities taken?" An archived version of this post can be found here.

The video has also gained attention on Facebook, where users have shared it with similar captions and additional criticisms of the Tamil Nadu government and Vijay. Archived versions of these posts can be found here, here, and here.

Screenshot of claims made online. (Source: Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

Tamil superstar Vijay launched his political party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), in February 2024. The Greatest of All Time (GOAT), a Tamil-language science fiction action film starring Vijay, premiered in theaters on September 5, 2024.

However, the video being circulated has no link to this film or any events in Tamil Nadu related to its release.

What we found

A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led to a YouTube clip by NDTV (archived here), dated November 13, 2023. The video, titled "Crackers Go Off In Maharashtra Cinema During 'Tiger 3' Night Show," reveals that the incident occurred during a screening of Salman Khan's 'Tiger 3' at Mohan Cinema in Malegaon, Maharashtra. The video showed firecrackers being set off near the seating area, which caused a stampede-like situation. No injuries were reported.

The Times of India and India Today reported on this incident in November 2023. Raghunath Shelar, the Malegaon Chhavani Police inspector, confirmed that a complaint was filed against those responsible, citing charges of putting lives at risk inside the enclosed theater. Salman Khan also condemned the incident on X, calling it dangerous.

Aniket Bharati, Assistant Superintendent of Police in Malegaon, also addressed the incident, which was reported by ANI on its official X account (archived here) on November 13, 2023.

The verdict

The video, captured on November 12, 2023, during a screening of 'Tiger 3' at Mohan Theatre in Malegaon, Maharashtra, has been misleadingly shared as footage from a Tamil Nadu theater during a screening of 'GOAT' starring actor-politician Vijay.