Cricketer Smriti Mandhana has removed all the photos and videos from her pre-wedding celebrations with fiancé Palash Muchhal from her Instagram, days after her father, Shrinivas Mandhana, was hospitalised on what was supposed to be her wedding day. He reportedly fell ill during breakfast, and his condition worsened through the day. Soon after, Palash too was briefly hospitalised.

Mandhana has taken down all posts from her Haldi and Mehendi ceremonies, though older casual photos with Palash remain. With the couple postponing their wedding indefinitely after six years of dating, the Internet is buzzing with speculation. Palash has also wiped his Instagram clean. 

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‘Wedding has been put on hold’: Palak Muchhal 

Amid the speculation, Palash’s sister, singer Palak Muchhal, issued a clarification on Instagram.

“Due to Smriti’s dad’s health, Smriti and Palaash’s wedding has been put on hold. Would request all of you to respect the privacy of the families in this sensitive time,” Palak Muchhal wrote in her Instagram story. 

She added that Palash was deeply affected by the news of Mandhana’s father’s health, saying he cried so much that he had to be admitted briefly to a hospital for an IV drip and tests.

“When he fell ill, it was Palash, before Smriti, who decided that they should not go ahead with the wedding rituals until he gets better,” she further said. 

Leaked chats sparked controversy

Despite the clarification, rumours have continued to spiral. Several media outlets have also reported on the viral chats and claims, highlighting the “dark side” of the Internet. The claims range from talk of a last-minute fallout to unverified allegations of cheating, and even speculation that Palash’s hospitalisation was staged. Some of the rumours are as extreme as alleging that the groom “ran away” on the wedding day.

FE.com cannot independently verify the authenticity of these claims and chats going viral on social media. 

Smriti Mandhana’s last Instagram post

Smriti Mandhana’s last Instagram post is a week old, where she talked about the time she could barely hold her brother’s bat. “When I was seven years old, I could barely lift the bat my brother gave me. But that moment made me believe I can play, and I can achieve big things in life,” she wrote on Instagram. 

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She added, “All girls and boys deserve that opportunity – not just to win, but to know their own strength.​ On World Children’s Day, my promise is to support girls, so they have a fair pitch and equal opportunities.”

Smriti Mandhana, Palash Muchhal’s love story

Smriti Mandhana and Palash Muchhal have been together since 2019, though they largely kept their relationship private. Their relationship came to the limelight after Palash posted a photo of Smriti holding the trophy following India’s victory and captioned it, “Sabse aage hain Hindustani [Indians are way ahead of everyone].”

In October, Palash said that Smriti would soon become the “daughter-in-law of Indore,” his hometown. Smriti later confirmed the engagement via an Instagram Reel, where she and her teammates can be seen dancing to the popular track Samjho Ho Hi Gaya from the 2006 film Lage Raho Munna Bhai. She also flaunted her engagement ring in the Reel.