If you’ve scrolled through Instagram in the first two weeks of 2026, you’ve likely seen the caption. It usually goes something like this: “Itne mard expose ho rahe hain, main bhi ek IPL player ko expose kar dun?” (So many men are getting exposed, should I expose an IPL player too?).

The video typically features a female influencer lip-syncing to a trending audio, looking coyly at the camera, implying she holds a nuclear secret about a famous cricketer. The comments section explodes instantly. "Who is he?" "Is he [Player X, Y or Z]?" "Didi, don't be shy, tell us!" which further boosts the engagement. Some Instagram and Reddit posts are trying to use the latest trending tags like New Tea, Spill The Tea, What's the Tea?, to get more traction and make it a gossip starter.

Itne Mard Expose Ho Rahe Hain, Main Bhi Ek IPL Player Ko Expose Kar Dun? Reel With Millions of Views

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Deepanshi (Alive) (@duskyleve)

All the Trending Tags: Tick

It is the perfect engagement trap. But while it racks up millions of views, this trend of "performance exposure" is doing something dangerous: it is turning the serious act of holding men accountable into a clickbait meme, effectively diluting the cause for real victims.

Context: The 'Men Behaving Badly in 2026'

To understand why this is happening, we have to look at the last fortnight. January 2026 has been undeniably chaotic for celebrity relationships. From high-profile influencer divorces (like the shockwaves surrounding the Kristy Sarah split) to serious cheating allegations against global music stars like Karan Aujla, the internet has been in a frenzy of legitimate "exposés." and calling it is only January and the 'Men Behaving Badly in 2026' trend.

These initial stories were serious. They involved real heartbreak, legal battles, and genuine breaches of trust. But on social media, trauma travels fast, and trends travel faster. What started as a wave of accountability has mutated into a format for content creation.

Should I Expose an IPL Player Too? Is Becoming The 'Boy Who Cried Wolf' Story

The problem with the  “Itne mard expose ho rahe hain, main bhi ek IPL player ko expose kar dun?” (So many men are getting exposed; should I expose an IPL player too?) Instagram reels are that they treat serious allegations as a teaser for a movie that never releases.

When an influencer teases an "IPL Player expose" purely to ride the algorithm, they are commodifying the language of the #MeToo and accountability movements. They are borrowing the brave terminology used by victims ("expose," "truth," "justice") and using it to farm likes.

Most of these reels are bluffs. There is no DM, there is no scandal, and there is no IPL player. It is a joke. But the side effect is cynicism. If audiences are bombarded with 50 "fake" expose teasers a day, what happens when a woman comes forward with a real story of abuse or infidelity? While a couple of users have named IPL players, Swastik Chikara and Abishek Porel and shared their purported chats.

Users Allegedly Leaking Swastik Chikara and Abishek Porel Chats from Their Instagram DM 

The audience, conditioned by the trend, will likely roll their eyes. "Oh, another one for clout," they’ll say. By saturating the market with fake wolves, these influencers are ensuring that when a real wolf appears, the village won’t listen.

Why the 'IPL Player' Angle?

It is no coincidence that "IPL Player" is the go-to bluff. In India, cricket is not just a sport; it is a religion, and cricketers are its deities. Mentioning an "IPL Player" guarantees three things:

Instant Virality: Cricket fan bases are massive and hyperactive.

Speculation: Fans will fight in the comments, guessing names from Mumbai Indians (MI) players to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL stars, boosting engagement metrics and leading to fan wars.

Immunity: Because the influencer never actually names anyone, they avoid defamation lawsuits while reaping the rewards of the drama.

It is a low-risk, high-reward strategy for the creator, but a high-harm strategy for the culture.

The Engagement Trap and Dilution of Truth

We are currently seeing a strange intersection where "Infidelity" is becoming a content vertical. We have "loyalty tests," "honey trapping" services, and now, "expose teases."

While some of these creators might indeed have valid stories, the majority are suffering from what we can call "Trend-Jacking." They see a bandwagon, in this case, Men Behaving Badly in 2026, and they jump on it.

The danger is that this trivialises the pain of infidelity. When "exposing a cheater" becomes a fun trend to participate in, we lose the gravity of the situation. We stop seeing victims and perpetrators; we just see "Content", "Views", "Engagement",  "Likes" and "Characters."

There is nothing wrong with calling out bad behaviour or online harassment. If an influencer has genuine proof of an IPL player acting inappropriately, they have the right to speak. Go and do a proper complaint and get the IPL player behind bars if they have done anything wrong.  Learn from the influencer Payel Gaming, who fought cyberbullying and got the culprits behind bars.

But treating an "expose" like a cliffhanger for a daily soap opera is unethical. It mocks the women who have actually had to fight to be believed. As we move further into 2026, we need to distinguish between those seeking justice and those seeking engagement. If you have a Real story, tell it. If you don't, stop pretending you do for the Reel.

TruLY Score by LatestLY
Rating:5

TruLY Score 5 – Trustworthy | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 5 on LatestLY. It is verified through official sources (LatestLY Editorial). The information is thoroughly cross-checked and confirmed. You can confidently share this article with your friends and family, knowing it is trustworthy and reliable.

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.

Men's Helpline Numbers:

Milaap: 9990588768; All India Men Helpline: 9911666498; Men Welfare Trust: 8882498498.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 13, 2026 10:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).