Beyond Politics: What Sharad Pawar’s Granddaughter’s Wedding Really Taught Me
By Vikrant Joshi
Last weekend, Mumbai witnessed one of the most talked-about weddings of the year. Sharad Pawar’s granddaughter, Revati Sule, married Sarang Lakhani in a grand ceremony at the Jio World Convention Centre. The guest list read like a who’s who of Indian politics, business, entertainment, and public life.
While social media spent the weekend debating the politics behind the wedding, I was reminded of a deeply personal incident that happened to me nearly seven years ago—an incident that completely changed my approach to journalism.
A Lesson I Learnt the Hard Way
Around the time the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was being formed in 2019, Maharashtra was in political turmoil. President’s Rule had been imposed, negotiations were underway, and the entire political landscape was changing rapidly. During that period, social media was flooded with rumours that Sharad Pawar’s granddaughter was getting married. Like many young journalists at the time, I made a mistake. Based solely on rumours circulating on social media, I wrote a blog. I never mentioned anyone by name, but those who have followed my writing know that I often write in a way where readers can easily understand whom I am referring to. I published the blog on a Saturday morning, shared it on WhatsApp and social media, and thought nothing more about it.
That night, my phone rang. It was a landline number. On the other end was Sharad Pawar himself. For nearly seven minutes, he spoke to me firmly and, quite frankly, reprimanded me. His words still remain with me. He said that I was free to criticise him, (Late) Ajit Pawar or Supriya Sule because they were active politicians. But writing about a family member who had nothing to do with politics had crossed a line. He also reminded me that my father had known him for decades and said he was letting the matter go because of that relationship.
I respected what he said. I immediately removed the blog. More importantly, I learnt one of the biggest lessons of my career.
Never publish anything that is based purely on rumours or social media speculation.
That principle has guided me ever since. Journalism Requires Verification, Not Assumptions. After deleting the blog, I called a few senior people whose advice I trusted. I discussed the situation with them, reflected on what had happened, and realised that journalism is not about publishing everything that is trending.
It is about verifying facts. Even today, I refuse to publish stories based only on WhatsApp forwards, anonymous social media posts or political gossip. We see fresh examples almost every month.
Recently, BJP leader Girish Mahajan had to publicly clarify photographs being circulated online because people rushed to conclusions without verifying the facts.
This is exactly why responsible journalism matters.
The Wedding That Sparked Political Debate
Coming back to the wedding itself. Although I wasn’t invited—and, interestingly, I rarely receive invitations to political family functions despite personally knowing leaders across party lines—I watched the celebrations through news coverage and social media. Very quickly, criticism began pouring in online. People questioned why industrialists like Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani attended. Others questioned why leaders from different political parties were present. Some even criticised the Lakhani family because of its association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
I honestly don’t understand the outrage. Sharad Pawar is one of Maharashtra’s tallest political leaders. He has served as Chief Minister, Union Defence Minister and held several important positions over a long political career. His family wedding was naturally going to attract national political leaders, industrialists, film stars and influential personalities. That is completely normal.
Politics Ends at the Doorstep of Family Functions
One thing people often forget is that politics and personal relationships are not always the same. Political rivals may fiercely oppose each other in elections, but they often maintain cordial personal relationships. Even leaders who appear bitter political opponents frequently greet each other warmly at family events.
That is political maturity. There is a tendency on social media to believe that political rivalry automatically means personal hatred. It doesn’t.
If two families decide to unite through marriage despite belonging to different political or ideological backgrounds, that should be welcomed rather than criticised.
Different Ideologies Can Still Become One Family
Many social media users questioned how a family associated with the RSS could become related to the Pawar family. My answer is simple. Marriage is between two families, not two political parties.
Politics changes. Governments change. Alliances change. Relationships often outlast political differences.
In fact, I have heard from reliable political circles that senior BJP leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari played an important role in bringing both families together. Whether one agrees politically or not, such personal relationships are common in Indian politics. There is nothing unusual about it.
Stop Looking at Everything Through a Political Lens. One of the biggest problems today is that everything is immediately viewed through politics.
Someone attends a wedding—it becomes political.
Someone hugs another person—it becomes political.
Someone shares a photograph—it becomes political.
We need to become more balanced in our thinking.
The next generation is already moving beyond rigid ideological and caste boundaries while forming friendships and relationships. Perhaps society should learn from them instead of constantly creating divisions.
The Social Media Controversy Around Supriya Sule and Shah Rukh Khan.
Another controversy that caught my attention was a short moment between Supriya Sule and Shah Rukh Khan. They greeted each other warmly with a hug and an air kiss. That was enough for social media to explode. Honestly, I found the criticism unnecessary. Friends greet each other warmly all over the world. Among urban families, especially in cities like Mumbai, this is completely normal social etiquette. Neither Supriya Sule nor Shah Rukh Khan was behaving inappropriately.
Both are experienced public figures who understand that cameras follow their every movement. To manufacture controversy out of a simple greeting reflects more on the mindset of those creating the outrage than on the people involved. Would the Reaction Have Been the Same for Someone Else?
However, one question did cross my mind.
If Shah Rukh Khan had greeted Amruta Fadnavis in exactly the same way—with a hug and an air kiss—would social media have reacted similarly?
I don’t think so. Unfortunately, Amruta Fadnavis has often been subjected to personal trolling over matters that have nothing to do with politics. Whether it is her clothing, yoga videos or public appearances, criticism frequently becomes deeply personal. The same unfair treatment has been faced by many women in public life and the entertainment industry. Instead of discussing ideas, social media often chooses to objectify people or focus on completely irrelevant issues.
That needs to change.
My Biggest Takeaway
Looking back, I realise that the mistake I made years ago taught me something invaluable. Never judge people or situations based on rumours. Never assume social media knows the truth. And never forget that politicians, despite their ideological differences, are also parents, grandparents, friends and family members. Not every family function needs to become a political battlefield.
Sometimes, a wedding is simply a wedding.
I wish Revati Sule and Sarang Lakhani a lifetime of happiness together.
May they build a beautiful future, free from unnecessary political speculation and social media negativity.
Some moments deserve to be celebrated, not politicised.
Vikrant Meena Hemant Joshi.
