Viral Kumbh Mela Girl Says Marriage Was Her Choice, Denies Religious Conversion Claims

PTI, March 12, 2026, Thiruvananthapuram: Monalisa Bhonsle, the young woman who shot to fame during the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj last year, on Thursday said that her wedding to Farman Khan was as per her choice and according to Hindu customs, rejecting allegations that it was a case of “love-jihad”.

Bhonsle, who hails from Indore in Madhya Pradesh, said neither she nor her husband changed their religion and that she had insisted on the marriage.

“He did not want to marry me, but I forced him to do so. We got married according to Hindu customs,” she told reporters at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram.

The couple also said that it was not a case of “love-jihad”, as allegedly reported by a section of media, adding that as artists they respect all religions.

“We respect all religions and we have not converted,” they said.

Bhonsle’s husband, who is from Uttar Pradesh, said that when people are in love, there is no need to convert to another religion.

He also showed soft copies of Bhonsle’s Aadhaar card and birth certificate on his phone in support of his assertion that her birthday was January 1, 2008 and that she is now an adult. He also showed copies of their marriage certificate.

He further said that he got married according to Hindu customs as he loves Bhonsle and wanted to make her happy.

Bhonsle, the eldest of four children, said her parents wanted her to marry her paternal aunt’s son, but she opposed the idea.

“He is like a brother to me. How could I marry him,” she said, adding that her father is currently in Kerala but did not attend their wedding as he was upset with her.

“We will placate him in time,” her husband said.

She said that she has a younger sister and two younger brothers back home.

Responding to reporters’ queries regarding his career, Khan said he has been travelling frequently to Kerala and Chennai in connection with film work and has worked in some Tamil movies.

“But for the last one-and-a-half years I have been living in Thiruvananthapuram,” he said.

The couple thanked the Government of Kerala and the police for their help in getting married and said they had not expected so much support.

Earlier in the day, Bhonsle and her husband told reporters that she was over 18 years of age. Her husband said that they had registered their marriage and that such registration would not be possible if she were underage.

“She is above 18 years of age. Otherwise, how would our registered marriage be possible? All the news regarding her being underage are fake and incorrect. Please do not believe that,” he said. Bhonsle also described such reports as “fake and incorrect.”

When reporters asked whether they intended to continue staying in Kerala, Khan said it would depend on his wife’s wishes. Bhonsle said she likes Kerala and wants to stay in the state.

She also said that the shooting of one of her movies had been completed and another project was ongoing.

Her husband added that they had met and fallen in love six months ago when they were cast for a film. “Shooting of that movie has not started yet,” he said.

The couple got married on Wednesday at the Nainar Temple in the presence of several leaders, including V Sivankutty, M V Govindan and A A Rahim of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

On Wednesday, the couple had also approached the Thampanoor Police Station alleging that her father was trying to forcibly take her back to her hometown.

Bhonsle had become widely known after a video of her selling rudraksha garlands at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj went viral on social media.