Aryan Khan, Larissa Bonesi & Rahul Gandhi: How a Political Scandal Turned into Bollywood’s Most Unexpected Viral Moment

The worlds of Bollywood glamour and Indian politics collided this week in a way no one could have predicted — placing Brazilian actress Larissa Bonesi, rumored girlfriend of Aryan Khan, at the center of a Rahul Gandhi-led voter fraud controversy she had nothing to do with. What began as a serious political allegation in Haryana spiraled into a case of mistaken identity that set Indian social media on fire.

The Spark: Rahul Gandhi’s Haryana Allegations

On November 5, 2025, Rahul Gandhi held a press conference alleging massive voter fraud in the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections. He claimed that 25 lakh votes were stolen through fake voter IDs, displaying a photo of what he described as a “Brazilian model” whose image allegedly appeared 22 times across 10 polling booths under different names like Seema, Sweety, Saraswati, Rashmi, and Vimla. “Who is this lady? What is her name? Where does she come from? But she votes 22 times in Haryana!” Gandhi asked — a soundbite that instantly went viral across news channels and meme pages alike.

The Mix-Up: How Larissa Bonesi Got Pulled In

Soon after the press conference, social media users began mistakenly identifying the woman in Rahul Gandhi’s photo as Larissa Bonesi, a Brazilian model and Bollywood actress long associated with Aryan Khan. The real woman, however, was Larissa Nery, a hairdresser from Brazil’s Belo Horizonte who has never even been to India. Both being Brazilian and sharing the same first name led to the confusion — but Bonesi’s fame in India meant she became the easier target for social media’s chaotic energy. Within hours, her Instagram was flooded with comments about “vote chori” and Haryana politics, turning her latest posts into a digital battlefield.

Social Media Goes Wild

Bonesi’s comment sections quickly transformed into a meme arena. Comments like “Thanks for coming all the way from Brazil to vote in Haryana” and “Congrats on your Indian citizenship!” flooded her feed. Some even posted Rahul Gandhi GIFs and tagged political accounts, while others joked about her becoming the “new face of Indian democracy.”

In a bizarre twist, Bonesi found herself dragged into India’s political polarization, receiving attention from both Congress and BJP supporters — despite having zero involvement in the matter.

The Real Larissa Speaks

Meanwhile, Larissa Nery, the actual woman whose photo was used, took to Instagram to clear the air. Speaking in Portuguese, she said,

“They are using an old picture of me. I was about 18 or 20. I don’t know what’s happening in India — something about voting? What craziness is this?”

Nery explained that she works as a hairdresser, not a model, and the image in question was a stock photo taken years ago by a friend for a photography project. She described the entire situation as “a comedy.”

Larissa Bonesi: The Bollywood Connection

For Indian fans, Bonesi is far from an unknown name. She has appeared in films like Go Goa Gone, Thikka, and Penthouse, and has featured in music videos with Yo Yo Honey Singh and Vishal Mishra. Her modeling portfolio includes international brands such as Olay and Lancôme. But her name gained much more buzz due to her rumored relationship with Aryan Khan. She’s been spotted at Khan family events, including the premiere of Aryan’s debut directorial The Ba**ds of Bollywood*. Both follow each other on Instagram, and Bonesi has even publicly praised Aryan’s work, writing, “Unstoppable and unmatched!” earlier this year.

How Misinformation Travels Faster Than Truth

This bizarre incident highlights how quickly misinformation spreads in India’s social media ecosystem, especially when celebrity and politics intersect.

• Name Confusion: Both women were Brazilian and named Larissa.

• Celebrity Amplification: Bonesi’s visibility in India made her the default face.

• Algorithmic Chaos: Instagram’s search prioritized Bonesi’s verified account.

• Engagement Over Accuracy: People rushed to comment before verifying facts.

The result? A full-blown social media storm built on a simple mistake — proving how fragile digital truth can be in an era of virality.

Rahul Gandhi vs Election Commission: The Larger Battle

While Bonesi remained silent, the political feud intensified. The Election Commission of India dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s claims as “unfounded,” demanding concrete proof or a public apology. Gandhi doubled down, claiming his allegations were “101 percent true” and that the pattern of voter fraud extended across multiple states.

For a few chaotic days, a Bollywood actress became the face of a national election controversy, reminding everyone how India’s digital culture blurs lines between celebrity gossip, memes, and serious politics.

Lessons from the Viral Storm

For Larissa Bonesi, the episode was a crash course in how fame can turn into chaos overnight. One photograph, one coincidence, and one viral press conference were enough to drag her into one of India’s most bizarre political debates.

It’s a reminder that in today’s hyperconnected world, truth often takes a backseat to trends, and even unrelated figures can become symbols in narratives they never signed up for.

Aapke Sawal, Hamare Jawab! (FAQs)

1. Why did Larissa Bonesi get linked to Rahul Gandhi’s voter fraud allegations in Haryana, and what caused the mistaken identity?

The confusion began after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi showed a photo of a “Brazilian model” while alleging large-scale voter fraud during the 2024 Haryana elections. Since the woman in the photo resembled Bollywood actress Larissa Bonesi—and both shared the same first name, “Larissa”—social media users quickly and incorrectly assumed she was the person Gandhi mentioned. In reality, the image was of Larissa Nery, a Brazilian hairdresser who has never visited India. The viral mix-up spread rapidly across Instagram and X (Twitter), with Larissa Bonesi’s account mistakenly flooded with political comments.

2. What is the real connection between Larissa Bonesi, Aryan Khan, and the viral Rahul Gandhi Haryana voter fraud controversy?

There is no connection whatsoever between Larissa Bonesi, Aryan Khan, and Rahul Gandhi’s Haryana voter fraud allegations. Larissa Bonesi’s name entered the discussion purely due to a coincidence in names and her visibility in Indian media as Aryan Khan’s rumored girlfriend. Her social media presence, film career, and association with the Khan family made her account more discoverable when users searched “Brazilian model Larissa” online—leading to a completely baseless overlap between Bollywood gossip and a national political controversy.

3. Who is the real Larissa Nery, and how did her photo end up in Indian election news?

The actual woman in Rahul Gandhi’s presentation is Larissa Nery, a Brazilian hairdresser based in Belo Horizonte. Years ago, she posed for a photo project by her photographer friend, which was later uploaded to stock image websites. That same stock photo was apparently used in the voter ID dataset Gandhi showcased. Nery later clarified via Instagram that she had “never left Brazil” and was shocked to see her old picture being used in Indian political news. She described the incident as “comedy” and proof of how wild misinformation can get online.

4. How did misinformation about Larissa Bonesi and Rahul Gandhi spread so quickly on social media platforms like Instagram and X?

The viral confusion illustrates how algorithm-driven engagement and the celebrity-politics overlap fuel misinformation. When people searched for “Brazilian model Larissa” after Rahul Gandhi’s press conference, Instagram’s algorithm prioritized Larissa Bonesi’s verified, high-profile account. Thousands of users commented without verifying facts, turning her page into a meme battlefield. This incident is a textbook example of how AI-based algorithms amplify trending topics, prioritizing engagement and virality over truth—something media literacy experts warn about in India’s rapidly digitalizing landscape.

5. What does the Larissa Bonesi–Rahul Gandhi controversy teach about misinformation, celebrity culture, and AI-driven algorithms in India?

This viral mix-up is more than a funny internet moment—it’s a lesson in digital literacy. It highlights how easily misinformation can spread when celebrity recognition and political controversy intersect. In the age of AI-powered recommendations, trending keywords, and fast-reacting meme culture, false narratives travel faster than verified facts. The incident also underscores the need for responsible sharing and fact-checking before reacting online. For public figures like Larissa Bonesi, it’s a reminder of how fragile reputations can become in India’s always-on, algorithm-driven social media ecosystem.

6. How did Aryan Khan’s rumored relationship with Larissa Bonesi make her more visible during the Rahul Gandhi voter fraud news cycle?

Larissa Bonesi’s rumored relationship with Aryan Khan made her a familiar name among Bollywood fans. She has attended events connected to the Khan family, including Aryan’s directorial premiere, and publicly praised his work online. Because of this existing visibility and her strong Indian following, she became the top result when users searched for “Brazilian model Larissa” during the Haryana voter fraud controversy. This amplified her unintended involvement and shows how Bollywood fandom culture can magnify even unrelated viral trends.

7. Did Larissa Bonesi or Rahul Gandhi ever respond to the viral mix-up officially?

As of mid-November 2025, neither Larissa Bonesi nor Rahul Gandhi has made an official statement addressing the mistaken identity directly. Rahul Gandhi’s focus remained on his broader voter fraud allegations against the Election Commission and BJP, while Larissa Bonesi appears to have chosen silence, letting the frenzy fade naturally. The Election Commission, however, dismissed Gandhi’s claims as “unfounded,” while fact-checking organizations confirmed the woman in his photo was not Bonesi but Larissa Nery from Brazil.

8. Why is the Larissa Bonesi case being studied as an example of AI misinformation and digital virality in India?

The incident is now cited as an example of how AI algorithms and engagement-based virality can unintentionally spread misinformation. By linking unrelated keywords—“Larissa,” “Brazilian model,” “Rahul Gandhi,” and “Haryana voter fraud”—AI systems on platforms like Instagram and X created semantic confusion. This phenomenon demonstrates how even AI crawlers and automated feeds can reinforce trending errors, showing the need for more context-aware moderation in India’s digital media ecosystem.