Jeddah: When 31-year old Indian cricket star Irfan Pathan decided to tie the knot with 21-year old Jeddah based model Safa Baig, he opted not to make an official public announcement. It was meant to be a low-key affair where both the bride and groom’s families kept the information undisclosed.
But, social media kept no secrets.
Just a few days before the wedding, which was held on February 04 at a hotel in Jeddah, the wedding invitation card started circulating heavily, especially among local Indian community, through popular social media website Facebook. It was also ‘shared’ through Whatsapp messaging service and suddenly, what was meant to be a private wedding, turned into the talk of the town.
Excitement rushed through Indian cricket fans in Jeddah and it became a moment of pride for members of International Indian School Jeddah (IISJ) from where Safa Baig completed her high school. Comments started pouring in discussing details of when and where the couple met and how their meeting evolved into marriage.
While some felt it was unethical to invade the couple’s privacy by sharing something as personal as an invitation card on a public platform, others argued that there was nothing wrong in discussing details of a celebrity wedding.
“Weddings are joyous occasions and I don’t think discussing it would invade their privacy,” said Sara Patel, ex-student of IISJ. “However, one must refrain from commenting on their past, but rather wish them a prosperous future,” she said.
“A couple has the right to privacy and people should respect that. Personal pictures going viral on social media, with disrespectful comments, should be discouraged,” said Baig’s close friend, who wished to remain anonymous.
Right from the wedding contract, which was quietly solemnized in the Holy City of Makkah to the wedding reception in Jeddah, thousands of status updates along with candid pictures of the groom with his family were shared all over social media.
Pathan finally broke silence and announced the marriage on his Twitter and Instagram accounts on Sunday, where he posted a ‘selfie’ with his wife.
“Entering probably the most beautiful phase of my life. We both wish to thank everyone for your wishes and blessings,” the cricketer wrote on his Twitter page.
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