The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the police to provide protection to Monalisa Bhosle, who alleged threats to her life following her marriage to Mohammed Farman Khan. [Monalisa v. State of Kerala & anr]
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas said,
"Having heard the learned counsel for the petitioner as well as the learned Government Pleader, I am, prima facie, satisfied that the petitioner ought to be afforded protection for her life."
It directed the Station House Officer of Central Police Station, Ernakulam to provide protection to her pending disposal of the writ petition.
The matter has been posted to July 10 for further consideration.
Monalisa gained nationwide attention after videos of her selling prayer beads during the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela went viral on social media.
In her petition, she told the Court that she subsequently entered the film industry and married actor Mohammed Farman Khan in Kerala on March 11, 2026. According to the petition, the marriage was registered under the Kerala Registration of Marriage (Common) Rules, 2008.
She alleged that after news of their marriage became public, several social media accounts began running a hate campaign against the couple and photographs of the couple were publicly burnt and beaten with slippers during protest, with visuals of these protests being widely circulated online.
Monalisa further alleged that she received threatening messages from unknown persons and that she and her husband were being constantly followed by strangers. She claimed that she received a message stating that she would be shot for marrying a 'Pakistani'.
"It is further submitted that the petitioner received a text message in Hindi saying "you have become a trending star during the Mahakumbh mela and now you have married a Pakistani. So the day we find you, our group will shoot you. Tell jai shreeram, or Yogi Adityanadh ji, or BJP Modiji," the petition stated.
Despite filing complaints before the police and the City Police Commissioner, she stated that she continued to fear for her safety and was unable to pursue her acting career because of the threats.
Monalisa's plea for police protection is the latest in the series of legal proceedings arising from her marriage to Farmaan. Following allegations that she was only 16 years old at the time of their marriage, a criminal case was registered in Madhya Pradesh on a complaint lodged by her father.
Apprehending arrest in that case, Monalisa and Farmaan approached the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The Court eventually granted Farmaan one month's protection from arrest to enable him to seek anticipatory bail before the competent court in Madhya Pradesh.
Parallel proceedings are also pending before a Thiruvananthapuram POCSO Court on a private complaint challenging the legality of the couple's marriage, while the couple has separately moved the Madhya Pradesh High Court alleging tampering of Monalisa's age records.
Monalisa was represented by Advocates PS Anishad, Limna Bhaskaran, Sreeparvathi GV, Samuel Sabu, KK Preetha and Siyad Ummer.
[Read Order]