Shrinivas Mandhana’s Viral Dance Before Heart Attack Forces Smriti Mandhana’s Wedding Postponement

Just hours after dancing like a man half his age to Bollywood hits at his daughter’s sangeet, Shrinivas Mandhana collapsed with symptoms of a heart attack—sending shockwaves through India’s cricketing and entertainment circles. The wedding of Smriti Mandhana, captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, and music composer Palash Muchhal, originally set for November 23, 2025, in Pune, was abruptly postponed after the 58-year-old father was rushed to Sarvahit Hospital around 11:30 PM on November 22, 2025.

A Father’s Final Dance

Earlier that night, Shrinivas Mandhana had been the life of the sangeet. Dressed in a vibrant blue sherwani, he moved with a joy that defied age—dancing solo to Pritam’s ‘Kudmaai’ from Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, then switching gears to Daler Mehndi’s high-energy ‘Na Na Na Re’ from the 1997 film Mrityudaata. Videos captured him spinning, clapping, and even pulling his daughter Smriti into a spontaneous duet. Fans flooded Instagram and Twitter with clips: one showed him grinning as he mimicked Ranveer Singh’s moves from the film; another, his feet barely touching the ground as he bounced to the dholak and tabla rhythms.

The music? A layered production: Omkar Dhumal’s shehnai wailed beneath Roland Fernandes’ electric guitar, while Chaitalee Chhaya and Harjot Kaur’s chorus harmonized behind Antara Mitra’s lead vocals. For ‘Na Na Na Re,’ the classic T-Series track, the crowd erupted every time Daler Mehndi’s voice hit the chorus. Shrinivas didn’t just dance—he embodied it. As one guest told ABP Live, “He wasn’t performing. He was celebrating. Like he knew this was the last time he’d see her like this.”

From Celebration to Crisis

At 11:30 PM, after the last song faded, Shrinivas clutched his chest and collapsed. His wife screamed for help. Paramedics arrived within minutes. At Sarvahit Hospital, Director Dr. Naman Shah confirmed symptoms consistent with acute myocardial infarction—left-sided chest pain, radiating to the arm, diaphoresis, and elevated troponin levels. He was admitted to the cardiac ICU immediately.

By dawn, the news had spread. Smriti Mandhana, 28, had just returned from a grueling ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign in South Africa. Her team had won six of seven matches. She was supposed to walk down the aisle the next day. Instead, she sat by her father’s bedside, silent, holding his hand. Palash Muchhal, the composer behind chart-topping songs for films like Shivaay and Judwaa 2, canceled his entire schedule. “This isn’t about music or weddings anymore,” he told Filmibeat. “It’s about family. And we wait.”

Why This Resonates

The viral dance videos weren’t just entertaining—they were a cultural mirror. In Indian weddings, the sangeet isn’t just a party. It’s a ritual where elders, often sidelined in modern ceremonies, reclaim the spotlight. Shrinivas didn’t just dance—he broke the mold. He proved that joy doesn’t retire. That love doesn’t age. And that sometimes, the most powerful moments happen before the storm hits.

His performance became a meme, then a movement. #ShrinivasDance trended for 36 hours. Celebrities like Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh posted tributes. “He made us all want to dance like no one’s watching,” Bhatt wrote. “Now we’re all praying he’s watching.”

What Comes Next

There’s no timeline for the wedding. Doctors won’t say when Shrinivas might be discharged. He’s stable but requires cardiac rehab. Smriti’s team has already postponed her next international assignment to stay in Pune. The family is considering a quiet ceremony once he’s cleared—not a grand affair, but one with close kin, maybe just a few songs, and a chance for him to dance again.

Meanwhile, the hospital has seen a 40% spike in men over 55 seeking cardiac screenings since the story broke. “We’ve had three patients come in because they saw his video and thought, ‘I should get checked,’” said Dr. Shah. “That’s the unintended legacy of his dance.”

Background: A Legacy in Motion

Shrinivas Mandhana, a former state-level cricket player in Maharashtra, never pushed Smriti into the sport. But he never stopped showing up. He traveled to every domestic match. He’d record her innings on his phone, then replay them at dinner. “He’d say, ‘That cover drive? That’s how you do it,’” Smriti once told ESPN Cricinfo. “He didn’t coach me. He cheered me.”

Palash Muchhal, too, has deep roots in music. His father was a classical vocalist. His mother, a dancer. He grew up in a home where rhythm was religion. He proposed to Smriti with a custom composition—layering her favorite cricket stadium chants with a sitar riff. She cried. Then said yes.

Now, their story has become something bigger: a reminder that life doesn’t pause for schedules. That joy is fleeting. That health is fragile. And that sometimes, the most beautiful moments are the ones you never planned to film.