Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Nov 26: The upcoming episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 17 is creating waves even before its telecast, as Amitabh Bachchan gears up to host the Indian Women’s Cricket Team fresh from their World Cup triumph. But vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was notably absent from the special shoot, owing to personal reasons linked to her father’s recent health scare.

Mandhana was scheduled to join teammates Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and head coach Amol Muzumdar for the Wednesday shoot. Videos of the team arriving on the sets have already gone viral, but Smriti’s absence has left fans concerned.

Her manager confirmed that her wedding to filmmaker Palaash Muchhal, originally planned for November 23 in Sangli, has been indefinitely postponed after her father had to be rushed to the hospital on the morning of the ceremony. “Smriti is very close to her father. She decided that the marriage will be postponed until he gets well,” he said, adding that her father has since been discharged but no new wedding date has been set.

Pre-wedding celebrations including haldi, mehendi and sangeet ceremonies had taken place earlier, and visuals had flooded social media. Interestingly, Smriti has now removed several pre-wedding posts from her Instagram, though older photos with Palaash remain.

For now, fans are eagerly awaiting the star-studded KBC episode, even as the cricketer focuses on her family during this difficult time.