Smriti Mandhana has finally called off her wedding formally. And bachche, I cannot tell you how happy it makes me. Of course, no breakup is a consequence of happiness, but Smriti Mandhana and Palash Muchhal’s mid-wedding breakup is giving me hope. I know you think I’m sadistic and only want women to stay single. Even though a world full of single women sounds like utopia to me, that is not my aim in life, beta ji. Here’s why this particular breakup makes me happy.

Never too late to end a relationship

Smriti Mandhana showed every woman, unintentionally, that it’s never too late to call off a wedding. You can literally cancel your wedding midway through the festivities if you want to. And so many women need this reminder, bachche. Behind all of the chakachaundh of Indian weddings, sometimes, evil is quietly rising up. The evil of last-minute gaadi demands, grooms who get drunk beyond human limits, bad behaviour towards the bride being dismissed as humour, and more. Sometimes, there is no redemption and weddings need to be called off. But “log kya kahenge” is a powerful roadblock and Smriti Mandhana just showed brides how to jump over this block and walk away.

People will talk, let them

You can’t stop people from talking about you, beta ji. You can post all the diss stories you want on Instagram, you can tell people off on their face, you can be the good girl whose most-used word is “hanji“, but people will still talk. And if you’re thinking about cancelling your wedding but thinking “log kya kahenge“, Smriti Mandhana just showed you log exactly kya kahenge. A month or so of being the centre of gossip sessions is waaaay better than being stuck in a bad marriage, bachche.

You don’t owe anyone any explanations

Except maybe just tell your immediate family and the groom why you want to call off the wedding. But no one else needs to know what happened. It’s your life, beta ji. Do you go around asking everyone to justify their choices all the time? Have you ever sat your fufaji down and asked him to explain why he’s such a downer at every wedding? Or have you ever asked your boss to explain why their bad mood has to affect the whole team’s day? No, na? Then just maintain a dignified silence. Plot revenge, if necessary.

Supportive parents can change a woman’s life

Friends also matter, but it is mostly parents and siblings who matter here. If the family can look past the judgement of society and choose their daughter’s happiness over all else, a woman can take on the world. Let’s face it, in a situation where the bride is considering calling off her wedding at the last minute, she will look at her family for support. And when she gets it, she will always make the right decision. So, mummies and papas of brides, learn from the Mandhana family.

Financial independence is a gamechanger

One would think that all women would’ve understood this by now, considering how much aunties like me yell about it. But that’s not the case. So, here I am once again, telling you to GET A JOB! Women need to have their own money. They need to lead independent lives and not rely on anyone to “complete” them. Smriti Mandhana is far more successful than Palash Muchhal and that probably helped when the time came to make this crucial decision.

More from Aunty Eve:

Signs Of An Unhappy Bride: Aunty Tells All After Decades Of Attending Weddings

Why Are Women Always Asked To “Forgive And Forget”?

Charmed Life Or Golden Cage? Why Marrying Into A Rich Family Can Be Disastrous For Women

“My Husband Had A Secret Family And My Relatives…”: When A Woman’s Nightmare Came True

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