Urvashi Rautela cheers for 'Jiju' Virat Kohli; backs RCB for IPL 2026 title

Actress Urvashi Rautela has sparked a social media buzz after jokingly referring to Virat Kohli as ‘Jiju’ while declaring her support for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the ongoing IPL 2026 season.

The Bollywood actress, known for her frequent appearances at high-profile sporting events, recently sat down for an interview where she opened up about her cricket preferences and her upcoming professional projects. Amidst a tight schedule, Rautela confirmed that while she misses the early league stages, she makes it a point to catch the high-stakes action during the business end of the tournament.

The 'Jiju' comment goes viral

During a candid conversation with Miss Malini, the actress was asked about her pick for the current IPL season. Without hesitation, she threw her weight behind the Bengaluru-based franchise. "Virat Kohli is our jiju (brother-in-law). So why wouldn't we support RCB? Of course, we will," she remarked with a laugh.

The light-hearted comment quickly gained traction across fan pages, adding a bit of Bollywood glamour to the intense cricketing rivalry currently unfolding on the pitch. While Rautela didn't dive deep into technical analysis, her enthusiasm for the team was evident.

Believing in the RCB dream

For years, the 'Ee Sala Cup Namde' (This year the cup is ours) slogan has been a hallmark of the RCB fanbase, and it seems Urvashi is joining the chorus. When questioned if she believes the team can finally clinch the elusive silverware this year, she responded optimistically, asking, "Why not?"

Her comments come at a time when the defending champions are looking solid. Sources tracking the points table noted that RCB is currently perched comfortably in third place. With six wins out of ten games, the team has shown the kind of consistency that was often missing in previous years, despite four losses in the mid-stage of the tournament.

Missed collaboration with Kohli

Interestingly, the actress revealed that fans almost saw her sharing the screen with the former Indian captain. Rautela mentioned that a commercial ad shoot featuring her and Virat Kohli had been in the pipeline. However, due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts or logistical issues, the shoot could not materialize.

While she expressed slight regret over the missed opportunity, she remained focused on her current slate of releases, which includes a mix of digital and silver-screen projects.

Return to 'Inspector Avinash'

On the professional front, Urvashi is gearing up for the release of Inspector Avinash 2. Reprising her role as Poonam Mishra, she will be seen playing the wife of Randeep Hooda’s character. The first season garnered a steady following for its gritty portrayal of crime in Uttar Pradesh, and the second installment is one of the most anticipated digital releases of the month.

Production insiders suggest that the new season will dive deeper into the personal lives of the protagonists while maintaining the high-octane police procedural element. The series is slated to begin streaming on Jio Hotstar starting May 15.

Busy summer at the box office

Beyond the digital space, the actress is set for a massive theatrical release in June. She is part of the ensemble cast of Welcome to the Jungle, the third installment of the popular Welcome franchise. Starring alongside Akshay Kumar, the film is expected to be a major comedy tentpole for the summer, with a scheduled release date of June 26.

Rautela was last seen in the Telugu film Daku Maharaj, continuing her streak of balancing regional cinema with mainstream Bollywood projects. As the IPL 2026 moves toward the playoffs, expect to see more of the actress in the stands, rooting for her 'Jiju' and the RCB squad.