Dhruv Rathee, a prominent Indian YouTuber known for his educational content and political commentary, dismissed viral social media rumours on Sunday that alleged he had cheated on his wife, Juli Lbr.
Rathee addressed the claims in a short video filmed during a team trip to Dubai, characterising the allegations as a coordinated attempt by political IT cells to tarnish his reputation through fabricated news.
The creator, who often fact-checks government policies and social issues, expressed surprise at the nature of the rumours after taking a short break from monitoring news cycles.
The controversy began when several posts on the social media platform X suggested that Rathee had been involved with another influencer and that his wife was planning to claim his YouTube channel as part of a divorce settlement.
Rathee responded with sarcasm, noting that the claims were so unbelievable that even his most ardent critics were unlikely to find them credible. He pointed out the lack of any supporting evidence, such as screenshots or chat logs, to back the claims circulating online.
In a direct challenge to those spreading the information, Rathee suggested that if people wanted to defame him, they should at least put in more effort by using AI tools to create more convincing fake evidence.
He criticised the current quality of the rumours, stating that the creators of the content failed to provide even the most basic level of “proof” for their audience.
Rathee is one of India’s most influential digital creators with more than 30 million subscribers on his main YouTube channel. He married his long-time German partner, Juli Lbr, in 2021, and the couple frequently documents their travels and personal life on a secondary vlog channel.
This is not the first time the creator has faced personal attacks, as his content often places him at the centre of polarised political debates within the Indian digital landscape.
The YouTuber concluded his message by telling his detractors to try harder next time, maintaining a calm and dismissive tone throughout the video.
The incident highlights the growing trend of personal misinformation targeting high-profile creators in the Indian creator economy, where personal lives are often weaponised to discredit professional work.
Rathee remains active on his platforms, continuing his usual schedule of investigative and explanatory videos despite the online chatter.
