Thank you, but we're not married: Lesbian couple Adhila and Noora on viral wedding pictures

Chennai: Allies and members of the LGBTQIA+ community on Tuesday celebrated adorable pictures of Adhila Nasreen and Fathima Noora, the queer couple that broke out of the shackles of all social inhibitions and attained the freedom to live a life of their choice, which clearly suggested wedding bliss.

The pictures, which had been doing the rounds on Instagram and other social media platforms, had the power couple donning traditional wedding attires and exchanging rings with nothing but the sea as a witness in the background.

While one picture had them holding a pride-coloured cake, another had them sharing a kiss. Captioned "ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: TOGETHER FOREVER", congratulatory messages started pouring in from all corners.

However, the couple quickly put an end to all the noise surrounding the viral clicks. Talking to Onmanorama, the duo denied the news that they got engaged and clarified the pictures were clicked as part of a photoshoot.

The couple also took to social media to publish a clarification post. Adhila said the confusion was understandable given the theme of the pictures. "However, all that was part of a photoshoot held in Vypeen. Vowtape Photography, headed by Ashique Raheem, clicked the pictures," said Adhila.

The couple lives in Chennai at present.

When their family and society staunchly opposed their relationship and tried to separate them forcefully, the lesbian couple chose to wage a legal battle for their rights and won the freedom they yearned for.

In a landmark judgment, the Kerala High Court allowed the lesbian couple to reunite on May 31, 2022. The court issued the order on a habeas corpus petition filed by Adhila, seeking directions to the police to produce her partner, who had been forcefully taken away by the latter’s parents from her house.