Mumbai, March 12 (IANS) The Kumbh Mela girl Monalisa Bhosle, and her husband Farman Khan have given their first public statement after tying the nuptial knot. The couple has expressed their gratitude to the Kerala state government for their support.

The couple spoke with IANS after their wedding, and said that they treat all the religions equally. Monalisa said, “The Kerala government supported us a lot. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts. And we believe in all religions. For me, all religions are the same”.

Farman said, “We did not expect that we would have such a big wedding. We thought that only 2-4 people would attend the wedding. But there were a lot of people. The minister blessed us. The education minister came here. The education minister”.

The wedding of Monalisa Bhosle and Farman Khan became a widely discussed event after the couple tied the knot on March 11, 2026 at the Arumanoor Sri Nainaar Deva Temple near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Monalisa, who gained nationwide attention during the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela after videos of her selling rudraksha garlands went viral, had been in a relationship with Farman for about six months before the marriage.

The couple reportedly met while working on a film project, where their professional interaction developed into a romantic relationship. Despite objections from Monalisa’s family due to the interfaith nature of the relationship, she approached local police in Kerala seeking protection and affirmed her right to choose her partner. Authorities confirmed that, being an adult, she was legally free to make the decision.

The wedding was conducted according to Hindu rituals and drew considerable public attention, with crowds gathering at the temple and police deployed to manage security. The ceremony also saw the presence of local political leaders and well-wishers.

--IANS

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