'Woman Wearing Blue Denim Jacket', 2017

People usually worry about things like breach of online privacy and identity theft. But Brazilian hairdresser Larissa Nery should thank somebody for making her, well, not a household name but a recognisable face this side of the Amazon river. For Nery - who runs a salon in Belo Horizonte and has never visited India, let alone know or care about its politics - had her face reportedly adorning 22 voter ID cards during last year's Haryana assembly elections. That she is a competent hairdresser - not to be confused with Brazilian model and actor in Hindi and Telugu films, Larissa Bonesi - is apparent from her tousled, tied-up hair and au naturel look of 8 yrs ago.

It turns out, Brazilian fashion photographer Matheus Ferrero had taken Nery's photo in 2017 and put it up online with the title, 'Woman wearing blue denim jacket'. Years later, someone picked it off the net and reportedly adorned it on the voter ID cards of 22 Haryana voters who included a Geeta, a Satyavati Devi, a Seema, not to mention a Munesh. This mix-up/fraud has been 'uncovered' by Congress, which accuses BJP and EC of fabricating these ID cards. Whoever is to 'blame', Neri should be happy. 'Friends, I'm going to tell you a joke. They are using an old picture of me.... I don't know if it's an election, something about voting in India!' she has responded. Yes, quite a joke, indeed.