After postponing their wedding, Smriti Mandhana & Palaash Muchhal make their first public move — all details inside

Composer–director Palaash Muchhal and Smriti Mandhana, vice-captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, have made their first coordinated public gesture since the abrupt postponement of their wedding — an event that was widely expected to take place on November 23, in Sangli.

The ceremony, anticipated by fans, the entertainment industry and sections of the cricketing community, did not go ahead as scheduled. Both families released a brief clarification stating that the event had been postponed owing to health reasons, offering no further explanation.

The lack of clarity fuelled widespread online speculation, with social-media users suggesting that the reasons may run deeper than what was officially conveyed.

Against this backdrop of conjecture, scrutiny and misinformation, both Mandhana and Muchhal appeared to make a deliberate, unified move online. At nearly the same time, the pair updated their Instagram bios, adding just a single symbol — the nazar (evil-eye) emoji.

What does this emoji mean?

There was no statement, no comment, and no attempt to address the rumours directly. Instead, the symbol — traditionally used across South Asia to ward off negativity and ill will — became the couple’s first visible joint act since discussions around their postponed wedding began dominating online conversations.

What triggered concern — and speculation

The alarm bells first rang when Mandhana deleted every post related to the wedding — including her proposal video and engagement announcement — from her Instagram. Meanwhile, the same items remained on Muchhal’s profile.

The situation escalated into controversy when an Instagram user, Mary D’Costa, published what she described as screenshots of chat exchanges from earlier this year. She claimed that Muchhal had been in contact with her while allegedly dodging questions about his relationship status. The screenshots spread rapidly across social media — intensifying the speculation and casting a shadow over the postponed wedding.

What is actually verified

Despite the flurry of rumours, the only confirmed facts come from family sources and event organisers. According to multiple reports, the wedding was called off — or at least postponed indefinitely — because of a genuine medical emergency. On the morning of November 23, Mandhana’s father, Shrinivas Mandhana, reportedly fell ill and was rushed to hospital. As a result, the families decided it was best to delay the ceremony until his health stabilised.

In the aftermath, Muchhal is also said to have experienced a brief health scare in Sangli, linked to emotional stress, and was later hospitalised. According to his mother, he was deeply affected by the turn of events — enough to urge postponing the wedding until the family recovers.

So far, neither Mandhana nor Muchhal has issued any public statement about the rumours. Their only visible act has been the Instagram bio update — a symbolic move that spokespeople for both sides have not explained.