​Virat Kohli lookalike Kartik Sharma's viral reel clocks millions of views, sparks fan frenzy and more

Chandigarh's Kartik Sharma, dubbed 'Virat Kohli Junior', gained viral fame with a prank that drew massive crowds

Kartik Sharma, the Chandigarh-based engineer and state-level cricketer, is taking the internet by storm. Known as Virat Kohli Junior,' or Kartik Kohlee, he recently went viral after a prank reel showed massive crowds chasing him. convinced they were catching a glimpse of the cricketing legend himself. Kartik on Monday shared a reel from his last month’s Lucknow mall prank where he arrived as Kohli and people literally ran after to get a glimpse of him. Since he shared the reel it has got over 11 million views and counting.

Virat Kohli and Chandigarh's Kartik Sharma (Left and inset)

His reaction to the viral fame? “Yeh toh bada level ka prank hogaya! It all started back in 2016, a simple comment from a cab driver: “Paaji, aap Kohli jaise lagte ho.” Kartik was a thin lad back then and his friends used to call him Patla Kohli. But that one comment sparked a change. He started grooming himself, and slowly, the resemblance became uncanny.

However, don’t call him a mimic artist. Kartik is quick to clarify, “Nahin, I am not that, bilkul bhi nahin. Virat bhaiya mere baare jaante hain and he doesn’t mind.” For Kartik, it’s about admiration, not imitation. “When you are a fan, you naturally adopt certain traits in fashion and lifestyle. In my case, I look like him too. I’m just an ardent fan of King Kohli who happens to look like him.”

Kartik admits it’s a difficult game to play. He recalls a similar attempt in Delhi that ended with him getting arrested! “I had to explain to them that it was just a prank for a video, and that’s when they let me go.” On the flip side, he’s also had moments of pure love, like at a local market where fans lifted him onto their shoulders, chanting “Kohli! Kohli!”

From a small-town engineer to a viral sensation—Kartik Sharma is enjoying the ‘attention’ coming his way.