A video capturing a delightful interaction between Sumedha Bhaker, the mother of Indian Olympian Manu Bhaker, and javelin star Neeraj Chopra has taken social media by storm, leaving netizens both amused and intrigued. The two met in Paris, the host city for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and their exchange has quickly gone viral, sparking light-hearted speculation online.
Manu Bhaker, a professional shooter, made history in Paris by becoming the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympic Games. She secured bronze medals in the women’s 10 meter air pistol event and the mixed 10 meter air pistol event alongside her teammate Sarabjot Singh. Neeraj Chopra, who won a gold medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, added a silver medal in men’s javelin to his accolades at the Paris Olympics, further solidifying his legacy in Indian sports.
Bhaker represented India at the closing ceremony of the Paris Games, a role she was initially set to share with Chopra. However, it was later decided that Indian hockey legend PR Sreejesh would accompany her instead. Despite this, Chopra was present in Paris, and footage of his interactions with both Manu Bhaker and her mother quickly caught the attention of fans.
In one viral clip, Sumedha Bhaker is seen holding Neeraj Chopra’s hand, engaging him in an animated conversation. The video, which has garnered over half a million views on X (formerly Twitter), has led to a flurry of humorous comments from social media users. Many playfully speculated that the elder Mrs. Bhaker might be assessing Chopra as a potential match for her daughter.
Manu Bhaker’s Mother with Neeraj Chopra. pic.twitter.com/SDWbaWeOG7
— Avinash Aryan (@avinasharyan09) August 11, 2024
“Shaadi ke rishte ki baat chal rahi hai,” quipped one user, suggesting that marriage arrangements were being discussed. Another user humorously added, “Indian mom talking to successful boy about her daughter’s marriage.”
The playful banter continued with comments like, “Mummy ji on mission for damadji (Mother on a mission for a son-in-law),” and “Aunty ji, make it happen.” The light-hearted nature of these reactions highlights how moments like these resonate with the Indian public, who often see parallels between real-life events and the plots of Bollywood films.
Both Manu Bhaker and Neeraj Chopra hail from the state of Haryana, which added another layer of interest to the interaction. Another video showing the two athletes conversing in Paris has also gained significant traction, with over a million views on X. Despite the innocent nature of their interaction, some viewers couldn’t resist drawing romantic inferences.
“If a boy and a girl talk to each other nicely, people start assuming things in India,” observed one user, pointing out the tendency to overanalyze such situations. Another commenter, Ankur, added with a chuckle, “Indians are born Bollywood storywriters!”
