Filmmaker-composer Palash Muchhal and Indian women's cricket team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana were set to get married in Sangli, Maharashtra, on Sunday, November 23.
The celebrations were underway and guests had begun arriving when the wedding suddenly came to an unexpected standstill, with both families citing medical emergencies.
According to family sources, Smriti's father, Shriniwas Mandhana was admitted to Sarvhit Hospital after displaying symptoms resembling a heart attack.
The following day, Palash himself was reportedly hospitalised in Sangli due to a sudden, undisclosed health concern. With both families occupied with these emergencies, the ceremony was officially placed on hold.
However, while the public awaited clarity, the conversation quickly shifted online. Social media users noticed that Smriti quietly removed all her Instagram posts related to the wedding, including her engagement announcement and the widely shared proposal video. The timing of the deletions fuelled intense speculation.
Matters escalated further when screenshots began circulating on Reddit. An Instagram user, identified as Mary D'Costa, uploaded what she claimed were her private chats with Palaash, purportedly from May 2025.
Her Instagram account went offline soon after, but the alleged screenshots remained widely shared across platforms.
In these messages, Palash appears to invite the woman for a swim while repeatedly dodging questions about his relationship status.
Instead of clarifying whether he was committed or in love, he continued urging her to meet him, prompting users to interpret the exchanges as inappropriate.
The leaked chats sparked a wave of reactions online, with the majority siding with Smriti. Many commenters said the screenshots left them with an "ick," calling the behaviour "shameless."
Others criticised Palaash's public displays of affection - including tattoos dedicated to Smriti - suggesting they now felt performative. Several netizens praised Smriti for "dodging a bullet," while also wishing her father a speedy recovery.
Currently, only Palak Muchhal, Palaash's sister, has issued a public statement, confirming that the wedding has been deferred due to Smriti's father's medical condition and asking for privacy.
Neither Smriti nor Palash has commented officially, and the future of the wedding remains uncertain.
Members of the Indian women's cricket team had reportedly arrived in Sangli for pre-wedding rituals, but the celebrations now stand indefinitely paused as both families navigate health concerns and the storm of online speculation.