Until November 23, Smriti Mandhana’s name was being taken by fans across the country in revered tones. After all, she was part of the history-making ‘women in blue’ team that gave India its first-ever World Cup in women’s cricket. But that changed when her wedding to music composer Palash Muchhal was abruptly called off on their wedding day. Immediately, social media began buzzing with wild theories — unfounded allegations, rumours, trolling and even threats — reaching an almost deafening crescendo each time a new theory is either conjured up or dismantled. The intensity of their scrutiny and the invasive nature of this type of fandom have earned this breed of fans the newly minted moniker of ‘parasocial parasites’. And the episode in question bears all the tell-tale markers of the volatile relationships that fans can cultivate with their heroes.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement announcement went viral on social media within the hour. Pic Courtesy/@taylorswift