When Hardik Pandya wants to say something, he says it loudly. On Thursday, as his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma turned 25, the Indian all-rounder posted an intimate, unseen video on Instagram that stopped timelines cold. In it, the couple laugh, speak softly, hug, and hold hands outdoors. Fireworks light up the sky behind them. Then, together, they release a floating lantern into the night. It is simple, warm, and completely unguarded — and the internet has responded accordingly.
Pandya captioned the post: “Happy birthday, my princess ❤️ Thank you for coming into this world 25 years ago. You are the most amazing person I know. I love you ❤️🕉️🧿”
Mahieka replied directly in the comments: “You’re my best gift this year 🥺💗🧿”
Fans were quick to pile in. “Lovely moments,” wrote one user. Another commented, “You guys look adorable together.” A third simply said, “Cute post, nice people.” Furthermore, the post drew thousands of likes within hours of going live.
He Started Even Before the Sun Came Up
Pandya did not wait until morning. Earlier in the day, he shared a romantic photograph of the two embracing in a swimming pool. The caption was the same — “Happy birthday, my princess” — but the image carried its own quiet weight. Mahieka reshared it on her Stories, adding a diamond emoji and her trademark nazar amulet. Later, she gave fans a glimpse of her birthday celebration: an all-black outfit, a heart-shaped cake, and a wide smile.
Two posts. A video compilation. An early-morning story. All of it during an active World Cup campaign. This was not a checkbox birthday tribute. This was clearly intentional.
Why This Story Is Bigger Than a Birthday Post
Most entertainment outlets are covering this as a sweet social media moment — and it is. However, framing it only that way misses the real story entirely.
Hardik Pandya has had one of the most emotionally turbulent public journeys of any Indian cricketer in recent memory. Moreover, his personal life and his professional performance have been deeply intertwined in ways that are hard to ignore. When his marriage to actor Natasha Stankovic collapsed in July 2024, the fallout was swift and brutal. Fans booed him during IPL matches. Memes mocked him. His on-field form wavered under the pressure. As a result, many began to write him off — both as a husband and as a cricketer.
Then Mahieka Sharma entered the picture. And something shifted.
Pandya has spoken openly about her influence on his game. In an interview during the current T20 World Cup, he said she helped him reconnect with the excitement he once had for cricket — the kind he had as a child. Since then, he has looked like a different player. He has crossed 6,000 runs in T20 cricket and taken over 200 wickets — becoming the first Indian to achieve the double. His strike rate and economy figures in this tournament are among the best in the squad.
In other words, this birthday post is not just a love story. It is the public face of a comeback.
The Pattern That Indian Cricket Keeps Repeating
This dynamic — where a cricketer’s romantic life becomes inseparable from his public identity — is not new in India. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma essentially invented a new template for what an Indian celebrity power couple could look like. Their relationship moved cricket’s emotional narrative beyond the boundary rope. Consequently, fans began caring deeply about who their heroes loved, not just how they played.
MS Dhoni took the opposite approach. His deliberate privacy became its own kind of mystique. Because he kept his personal life quiet, every rare glimpse felt rare and earned.
Hardik sits in fascinating territory between both extremes. He shares — but selectively. He is open — but not performative. Additionally, the authenticity of his posts with Mahieka feels noticeably different from the polished, PR-managed content that dominates celebrity feeds. There are no elaborate production setups. There is no stylist in the frame. Instead, there is just a lantern rising into the sky, and two people watching it go.
That rawness is exactly why it is cutting through the noise.
Who Is Mahieka Sharma?
For those still catching up — and their numbers are shrinking fast — Mahieka Sharma is a model and actress with an established career in Indian fashion. She has walked for designers including Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, and Anita Dongre. She has also fronted campaigns for Tanishq, Vivo, and Uniqlo, and appeared in music videos and independent film projects.
Hardik confirmed their relationship in October 2025, just weeks after rumours first surfaced. Since then, the couple has attended the United in Triumph event in Mumbai hand-in-hand, been photographed at the Mumbai airport together, and vacationed across multiple destinations. Earlier this year, on Valentine’s Day, Pandya made perhaps his most permanent statement yet — he had the letter M tattooed on the back of his neck, flanked by two leopards.
Tattoo artist Sunny Bhanushali described the symbolism: the couple sees themselves as partners who make each other stronger. Powerful alone, unstoppable together.
The Natasha Chapter, Briefly
Hardik was previously married to Serbian actress Natasha Stankovic. They wed in 2020 during the pandemic, and their son Agastya was born on July 30 that same year. In July 2024, the couple announced their split in a joint statement. They said they had tried their best, but believed parting ways was in the best interest of both of them.
The statement was dignified. The public reaction was considerably less so. Nevertheless, Pandya kept moving. He did not go quiet. He did not disappear. Instead, he came back louder — on the pitch and, evidently, on Instagram.
Why Fans Are Responding the Way They Are
What is resonating is not just the relationship. It is the contrast. A year ago, Hardik Pandya was being jeered in stadiums. Today, he is posting floating lantern videos mid-World Cup and the comment sections are full of warmth.
Furthermore, fans have noted how relaxed and expressive he seems in content featuring Mahieka — noticeably different from earlier years. Whether that is personal growth, the right relationship, or simply good timing, the effect is the same. People are rooting for him again.
And on a Thursday afternoon in February, as India gears up for their next World Cup fixture, that might just be the most powerful thing a cricketer can earn back.
