Nagaland Tourism and Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along, known on social media for his wit and viral posts, has laughed again.
What started as a simple question on Along’s favorite cricketer ended with the minister making his audience laugh.
Along was the News18 India Chaupal when he was asked who his favorite cricketer was, to which the minister promptly replied, “Sachin Tendulkar” – an icon of the sport and an evergreen choice for Indians.
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However, when Along was asked who his current favorite cricketer is, the answer was much…less direct, a video that has now gone viral.
Before answering, the Nagaland minister is seen addressing one of the interviewers present in the media interaction and asking, “Anushka Sharma ke pati ka naam kya hai (What is the name of Anushka Sharma’s husband)?”
Unable to contain his laughter, the interviewer replies, “Virat Kohli.”
Armed with this information, Along smiles and replies, “Haan, Virat Kohli”, causing people around him to laugh.
Understandably, as Along can’t seem to recall the name of one of India’s most famous cricketers, the minister asks, “Iska matlab ye hai ki aapki favorite actress Anushka Sharma hai, Kareena Kapoor nahi (That means your favorite actress is Anushka Sharma, not Kareena Kapoor)?
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Without revealing anything, Along replies, “Nahi nahi aisa nahi hai. Anushka Sharma yaad hai kyuki wo Virat Kohli ko pyaar karti hai (No, no, it’s not like that. I remember Anushka Sharma because she loves Virat Kohli)
“Anushka passes this video to Virat”
When the Nagaland minister’s clip went viral, Indian social media users had a field day.
“BRO will be remembered first by his wife. Anushka would definitely like it,” one user wrote, while another quipped, “Anushka is giving this video to Virat.”
Along’s reply also left people wondering whether the minister was roasting or praising the Indian cricketer.
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“Ye roast tha ya tareef? (Was that a roast or a compliment?),” another user wondered, while another commented: “Men will be men.”
However, most agreed that Kohli’s wife would really appreciate it: “Anushka would love to see it.”
Not for the first time
This incident was not the first time that a Nagaland minister had amused the internet.
During the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Along went viral for sharing a video of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
After Chennai Super Kings (CSK) shared a video of the ace batsman walking onto the field during a practice match, Along channeled his inner Bollywood fan and reposted it with a caption inspired by the famous Bajirao Mastani dialogue.
“Logo ka pyaar ho to aisa! Cheeteh ki chaal, baaz ki nazar, aur Dhoni ki skills pa kabhi shak nahi kar sakte,” the minister posted, garnering over 1.1 million views and 7,000 likes.
