How Old Is Viral Kumbh Girl Monalisa? VHP Alleges 'Child Marriage' To Muslim Man, Files Police Complaint

Last Updated:March 13, 2026, 07:43 IST

Monalisa Bhonsle, the Kumbh Mela fame girl from Indore, and her new husband Farman Khan clarified that she is not a minor, but the VHP claims her mother confirmed she is 17

The Vishwa Hindi Parishad (VHP) has filed a complaint with the Kerala DGP as well as Poovar SHO, demanding action against Kerala lawmakers who officiated and attended the wedding of Monalisa Bhonsle, the young woman who shot to fame during the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela last year, with actor Farman Khan. According to a report in News18 Malayalam, the right-wing outfit has claimed that Monalisa’s mother confirmed she is still a minor.

Monalisa and Farman got married on Wednesday at the Nainar Temple at Arumanoor in Poovar in the presence of Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty, ruling CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan, Rajya Sabha MP AA Rahim and other prominent leaders of the Left.

As controversy erupted, Monalisa later said she had married Farman Khan as per her choice and according to Hindu customs, rejecting allegations of so-called ‘love-jihad’, a phrase used by right-wing groups to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into relationships and marriage to convert them to Islam.

How Old Is Monalisa?

The VHP reportedly claims that Monalisa’s mother confirmed that she is 17 years old and thus demanded action against Monalisa’s husband Farman, and the Left ministers and leaders who facilitated the wedding under The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

Addressing the controversy around her age, however, the couple clarified on Thursday that Monalisa is of legal marriageable age. At a press conference, Farman Khan showed soft copies of Monalisa’s Aadhaar card and birth certificate on his phone in support of his assertion that her birthday was January 1, 2008 and that she was an adult now.

Bhonsle, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, added that neither she nor her husband changed their religion. “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 the press conference in Thiruvananthapuram. “We respect all religions and we have not converted."

Bhonsle’s husband, who is from Uttar Pradesh, also said that when in love, there is no need to convert to another religion. He further said that he got married according to Hindu customs as he loves Bhonsle and wanted to make her happy.

Pressure From Monalisa’s Family

Bhonsle, 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 in Kerala, but did not attend their wedding as he was upset with her. “We will placate him in time," her husband said.

On Wednesday, the couple had reached the Thampanoor police station alleging that her father was trying to forcibly take her back to her hometown. The couple had arrived in nearby Poovar recently in connection with a film shoot.

With a captivating smile and beautiful eyes, the Indore girl had shot to fame after a virtual content creator shared a video of her selling rudraksh garlands at Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh last year.

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