Kash Patel appointed as FBI Director: AI-generated clip of Ranveer Singh's "Malhari" dance from Bajirao Mastani goes viral.

Kash Patel began his historic role as FBI Director on Thursday, becoming the first Indian American to lead the renowned investigative agency. The Republican-controlled US Senate confirmed Patel in a close 51-49 vote, with Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins joining all Democrats in opposing the confirmation of Trump's nominee. Patel now holds the distinction of being the first Indian American to serve as FBI Director and also the first of Asian descent.

Patel, a former public defender, has experienced a rapid ascent within the power circles of Washington D.C. In recent years, he rose to become the Chief of Staff at the Department of Defense and Deputy Director of National Intelligence during President Trump's first term. Amid the political attention surrounding his appointment, an AI-generated video of Patel dancing to "Malhari" from the Bollywood film Bajirao Mastani, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, and Priyanka Chopra, has gone viral on social media.

Shortly after his confirmation, Dan Scavino, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, shared a deepfake video on social media that placed Patel's face over Ranveer Singh's during an energetic dance scene from Bajirao Mastani. The clip, set to the celebratory "Malhari" track, was captioned "Congratulations to the new Director of the FBI, @Kash_Patel!" and quickly went viral, garnering thousands of reactions. Social media users joined in the fun, with one commenter saying, "Kash Patel fits perfectly on this template," while another joked, "The Khalli Balli begins in America!"—a playful nod to the song "Khalibali" from Padmaavat, also starring Ranveer Singh.

Kash Patel fits perfectly on this template more than Trump pic.twitter.com/Lqh6MOR6T5

— Hindutva Knight (@HPhobiaWatch) February 17, 2025

Others highlighted the cultural crossover, with one post reading, "his was released by White House Deputy Chief of Staff after Senate confirmation of Kash Patel as the next FBI Director!" Patel's confirmation as FBI Director has sparked mixed reactions. Supporters commend his dedication to reform, while critics express concerns about the potential politicization of the agency. Having previously served in the Trump administration's national security team, Patel has vowed to enhance transparency and accountability within the FBI. In his new role, Kash Patel stated,"My mission as Director is clear: let good cops be cops and rebuild trust in the FBI."

"Working alongside the dedicated men and women of the Bureau and our partners, we will rebuild an FBI the American people can be proud of. And to those who seek to harm Americans - consider this your warning. We will hunt you down in every corner of this planet," he warned. "Mission First. America Always. Let’s get to work," Patel concluded.