India
The speculation surrounding cricketer Smriti Mandhana and music composer Palash Muchhal’s postponed wedding intensified this week, fuelled by a swirl of unverified screenshots and online chatter. At the centre of the controversy stood Mary D’Costa — the woman alleged by social media users to be linked to the couple’s troubles. On Tuesday, D’Costa issued a detailed clarification on Instagram, firmly distancing herself from the rumours and calling for an end to the confusion.
Over the past few days, several screenshots purportedly showing flirty chats between D’Costa and Palash Muchhal began circulating on Reddit and other platforms. These alleged exchanges quickly spiralled into speculation that she may have contributed to the disruption of the wedding plans. D’Costa, however, said the claims were not only misleading but also built on incomplete information.
In her post, she stated that her contact with Palash lasted for only a month — between April 29 and May 30, 2025 — and that the two never met in person. “I want to make it absolutely clear that I never met him and never got involved with him in any way,” she wrote, adding that this was not the first time she had raised concerns. According to her, she had spoken about the matter back in July, but it went largely unnoticed because “no one really knew who he was at that time.”
D’Costa also rejected another widely circulated rumour: that she was a choreographer associated with the wedding festivities. “I am not the choreographer, and I am not the person he cheated with,” she said, emphasising that multiple identities were mistakenly being attributed to her online.
Meanwhile, the wedding itself — which began with vibrant sangeet and haldi ceremonies in Sangli — was abruptly put on hold after Smriti’s father suffered a serious heart-related health scare at the venue. The situation grew murkier when Smriti quietly deleted all engagement and pre-wedding posts from her Instagram. Teammates, including close friend Jemimah Rodrigues, who had shared videos earlier, also removed their posts, fuelling further speculation.
Palash Muchhal was later admitted to a Mumbai hospital due to exhaustion and stress. His cousin, Neeti Tak, publicly defended him on Instagram, urging people not to jump to conclusions. “You should not judge Palash as wrong without knowing the truth,” she wrote, adding that rumours were being amplified by rapidly evolving technology.
For now, both families have requested privacy as speculation continues to swirl around one of the most talked-about celebrity weddings of the year.
English
Gujarati
Hindi
Kannada
Malayalam
Marathi
Punjabi
Tamil
Telugu
