Monalisa and Farman tied the knot in a symbolic ceremony at the Sree Nainar Deva Temple in Arumanoor, a temple associated with the teachings of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.
Why CPI(M) MLA called Monalisa-Farman's wedding ‘Real Kerala Story’
CPI(M) leader MV Govindan says the interfaith marriage of viral Kumbh personality Monalisa Bhosle and actor Farman Khan reflects Kerala’s secular ethos
“The Real Kerala Story” is how CPI(M) MLA MV Govindan described the interfaith marriage of Monalisa Bhonsle, the viral Maha Kumbh girl, and actor-model Farman Khan, which took place in Thiruvananthapuram on March 11.
The remark came after the couple tied the knot in a symbolic ceremony at the Sree Nainar Deva Temple in Arumanoor, a temple associated with the teachings of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, who advocated the principle of “one religion, one caste and one God for humankind.”
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The wedding was held after the couple approached the Thampanoor police station seeking protection due to opposition from Monalisa’s family.
Temple wedding
The marriage was facilitated with support from leaders of the CPI (M), including Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty and Rajya Sabha MP AA Rahim, who attended the ceremony.
Since the ceremony was symbolic, the couple will have to legally register their marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, as they belong to different religions.
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The wedding has drawn attention not only for its interfaith nature but also due to Monalisa’s sudden rise to internet fame.
Viral fame
Monalisa first gained national attention during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, where videos of her selling rudraksha beads went viral.
Originally from Indore in Madhya Pradesh, Monalisa later travelled to Kerala for a film shoot where she reportedly met Farman Khan.
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According to reports, both were part of the same film project, where Khan played the lead antagonist while Monalisa was cast as the heroine.
Settling in Kerala
The couple later said they hoped to settle in Kerala, because they felt the state offered an atmosphere free from divisive sentiments.
Their wedding has also revived discussions about Kerala being a refuge for interfaith couples facing social pressure.
In 2025, another couple from Jharkhand, Mohammad Ghalib and Asha Verma, had travelled to the state seeking safety after facing threats over their relationship.
Political remark
Taking a swipe at the controversial film “The Kerala Story”, Govindan described the wedding as an example of what he called the state’s real identity.
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“The real Kerala story,” he said, referring to a place where interfaith couples find support, protection and the freedom to choose their partners.
The comment has sparked renewed debate online about Kerala’s reputation for secular values and social harmony.(The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)
