T’puram: Monalisa Bhosle, popularly known as ‘Kumbh Mela girl’, said that she and her husband Mohammed Farman, whom she married under police protection in Thiruvananthapuram, have decided to settle down in Kerala. She also dismissed any chance of religious conversion. Addressing reporters on Thursday, Monalisa dispelled the controversy over her wedding and said that she is 18 and married the man she loved as per her wish. The marriage document registered with the local registrar of marriages of Poovar grama panchayat shows her birth date as Jan 1, 2008. The couple received a marriage certificate after the traditional marriage was conducted at Arumanoor temple in Poovar. She also said her birth certificate and Aadhaar card issued in Madhya Pradesh show her birth date as Jan 1, 2008. Referring to claims on social media platforms regarding alleged ‘love jihad’, Monalisa said that the marriage was conducted as per the Hindu tradition, and there is no question of religious conversion. “My parents wanted me to marry another boy, but I did not like him. I met Farman on the set of Nagamma around six months ago. I proposed to him first,” she said. Farman, an actor hailing from Uttar Pradesh, also said that he does not believe in religious conversion and that the priority is to live together happily. “Monalisa is a Hindu, and we married as per her wish in Hindu tradition. In love, conversion is not important. In the north, there is discussion in the media saying it is ‘love jihad’ and all, but it is nothing like that. Many Hindus and Muslims marry. We look at all with the same eyes,” he said, adding that both of them look at religions as one. Farman said that he visited Kerala for work a few years ago and has been staying here for the last one-and-a-half years. He also said that in Kerala there is no division of caste or religion, and all are looked at as human beings. The couple thanked the state govt for the support and expressed happiness that ministers attended the wedding. On Wednesday, Monalisa approached Thampanoor police station asking for police protection, saying that her parents opposed her marriage to Farman. Following this, the police intervened and spoke to her father, who refused to give permission for the wedding. The police allowed her to go with Farman as she is an adult. The couple arranged the marriage through a friend of the producer of the film they were shooting for in Poovar. The wedding was held in traditional Kerala style, with the groom wearing a shirt and white dhoti, while she wore a red saree. Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secretary Anil Vilayil on Thursday submitted a complaint to the state DGP alleging that Monalisa had not turned 18. Vilayil had cited social media reports that showed Monalisa celebrating her 16th birthday in 2025.
