E-Paper
Palaash Muchhal proposed to another woman before Smriti Mandhana? Old pictures go viral
Old photos of filmmaker Palaash Muchhal proposing to his ex-girlfriend have gone viral just days after his wedding with Smriti Mandhana was postponed
The much-anticipated wedding of filmmaker-composer Palaash Muchhal and Indian women’s cricket team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was to take place on Sunday, November 23, in Sangli, Maharashtra. But just hours before the ceremony, celebrations came to an abrupt halt after both families cited health emergencies.
Netizens, however, suspect there’s more to the story. By the time news of the wedding postponement went mainstream, many noticed that Smriti had quietly deleted all her Instagram posts related to the wedding, including her engagement announcement and proposal video.
And the online buzz didn’t stop there. Soon after, an Instagram user named Mary D’Costa shared screenshots of her alleged chats with Palaash from May this year, where he was reportedly asking to meet her and talk. When she asked about his girlfriend and if he was in love, he swiftly avoided the questions.
Now, there's another facet to the controversy. Internet sleuths have dug up old pictures of Palaash with his ex-girlfriend, reigniting chatter about his past relationships.
Old romantic photos of Palash cause outrage
Earlier today, social media users began circulating old romantic photos of Palaash with his former girlfriend, identified by netizens as Dr. Birva Shah, a plastic surgeon. One widely shared image shows Palash on one knee in what appears to be a proposal setup, leading many to claim that the composer had previously been engaged before his relationship with Smriti. According to reports, the pictures are believed to be from 2017 and in all honesty, they look like a high school proposal. The authenticity of the images remains unverified.
Netizens react to Palash’s pattern of “grand proposals”
But what's getting to fans is the similarity between the 2017 photos and Palaash's recent proposal to Smriti, which also featured him kneeling before her at the DY Patil Stadium — a moment he had shared on Instagram late last year. The resurfaced photos triggered a flood of reactions online, with Reddit threads and fan pages dissecting Palaash's alleged pattern of “grand proposals.”
One Reddit user wrote, “Good lord, what even is happening at this point? Whoever even cheats right before their marriage — especially such a high-profile one?” Another comment read, “He proposed to this girl on her graduation day. He seems to choose the girls’ big moments and make them about himself.” Others questioned the repetition in his gestures, with one user remarking, “He has a pattern of proposing the same way. Strange.” Another added, “He swoops in on successful women during their big days and somehow makes it about him — it feels deliberate.”
Family defends Palaash amid controversy
As online criticism mounted, Palaash's family members stepped forward to defend him. His cousin, Neeti Tak, posted on Instagram today, saying, “Palash is going through a critical condition today. You should all not judge him without knowing the truth. Technology today has come much ahead of humans; people should not judge Palash in the face of rumours. Pray for him.”
His mother, Amita Muchhal, had also claimed that the wedding was halted by Palaash himself, not Smriti. In a conversation with Hindustan Times earlier she said, “Palash ko uncle se bahut zyada attachment hai… Smriti se zyada yeh dono close hain. Jab unko hogaya toh Smriti se phele Palaash ne decision liya ke usko abhi phere nahi karne jab tak uncle thik nahi ho jaate (Palaash is extremely attached to Smriti’s father… The two of them are even closer than Smriti is with him. When he fell ill, it was Palaash, before Smriti, who decided to postpone the wedding until he recovered).”
She also added that her son’s stress levels became so high that he fell ill and had to be hospitalised. “He cried so much that his health suddenly deteriorated. They kept him in the hospital for four hours. He was given an IV drip and ECG, and other tests were done. Everything was normal, but he is under a lot of stress,” she said.
Amita confirmed that Palaash has since returned to Mumbai and is resting. Even his his sister Palak Muchhal, who also addressed the postponement publicly. On Instagram, the playback singer wrote, “Due to Smriti’s dad’s health, Smriti and Palash’s wedding has been put on hold. Would request all of you to respect the privacy of the family in this sensitive time.”
What lies ahead
Smriti and Palaash reportedly began dating nearly six years ago but kept their relationship private until 2024, when they marked their fifth anniversary publicly. Now with the wedding postponed indefinitely, neither Smriti nor Palaash have issued a direct statement addressing the resurfaced photos or the online allegations. Both families have requested privacy.
