Hande Erçel breaks silence on viral Shah Rukh Khan clip, calls ‘uncle’ claim fake and shuts down rumours

Turkish star Hande Erçel has firmly denied viral claims that she referred to Shah Rukh Khan as “uncle” at the Joy Awards 2026, calling the circulating screenshots fake and misleading.

Ever since the Joy Awards 2026 were held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 17, Turkish actor Hande Erçel has unexpectedly found herself in Indian headlines. From her appearance at the prestigious event to her interaction with global celebrities, the spotlight followed her closely. However, the attention took an unpleasant turn after rumours surfaced claiming she referred to Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan as “uncle” on social media.

The claim spread like wildfire, triggering outrage, memes, and heated debates online. Hande has now stepped in to clear the air.

How the rumour started

A video clip from the awards night began circulating on social media shortly after the event. In the clip, Hande was seen recording a moment featuring Egyptian actor Amina Khalil, who was co-hosting the ceremony with Shah Rukh Khan. Many viewers assumed Hande was filming SRK out of admiration, leading to reports that she was a “fangirl” of the Bollywood superstar.

Soon after, a screenshot allegedly from Hande’s Instagram stories went viral. The post claimed she wrote, “Who is this uncle? I was just filming @aminakhalilofficial, I am not his fan!! Please stop spreading false information!!” The wording shocked fans and added fuel to the controversy.

Hande calls it ‘fake’

An X (formerly Twitter) user shared the screenshot along with a detailed claim suggesting that Hande denied knowing Shah Rukh Khan and had called him “uncle.” The post gained traction quickly.

Hande Erçel responded directly to the user with just two words: “This is fake.” Her clear and brief reply was enough to shut down the rumours and confirm that the viral screenshot was fabricated.

Fans react strongly

Following her response, fans from both sides jumped in. Many of Hande’s supporters apologised to her for dragging her into unnecessary controversy. One fan wrote, “We will always be here to defend you. I’m so sorry you have to go through this.” Another user commented, “So embarrassing… sorry on behalf of these clowns.”

Shah Rukh Khan’s fans were equally vocal. One post read, “Imagine waking up daily just to lie about SRK and still getting fact-checked by the person you dragged into it.”

Shah Rukh Khan went to host Joy Awards 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

A clip of Turkish actress Hande Erçel went viral in which SRK was on stage

News was made that Hande is a fangirl of SRK, but she denied even knowing SRK and referred to him as uncle

A total PR failure pic.twitter.com/H0mUiq20Mg

— Tushar ॐ♫₹ (@Tushar_KN) January 20, 2026

What Shah Rukh Khan is up to

Shah Rukh Khan was last seen in 2023 blockbusters Pathaan, Jawan and Dunki. The superstar is currently busy shooting for Siddharth Anand’s King, which also stars his daughter Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan and others.

With Hande’s clarification now out, the incident serves as yet another reminder of how quickly misinformation can spread — and how important it is to verify before believing viral claims.