You must have seen the movie Judaai. In this, Sridevi had made a deal with her husband for one crore. But in Indonesia, a girl took two crores and herself married a man fifty years older than her age.
A wedding held in October 2025 in Pachitan Regency, East Java, Indonesia made headlines all over the world. 74 year old Tarman married 24 year old Shela Arika. The age difference between the two was 50 years. The biggest thing is that the groom had publicly handed over a check of 3 billion Indonesian Rupiah (about Rs 1.8 to 2 crore) to the bride as dowry.
Pictures and videos of this grand wedding went viral on social media. People were calling it an example of “true love”, but after a few days the whole matter got embroiled in controversies. The marriage took place on 1 October 2025. Tarman surprised everyone by giving the cheque, but soon after the marriage, the photographer and videographer publicly complained that the newlyweds had lost touch with them and disappeared and did not pay their bills. After this, rumors started spreading on the internet that the check was fake and Tarman had fled on the family’s motorcycle. Let us tell you the complete story of this marriage.
Police and family statement
The local police and the bride’s family initially dismissed these rumors, saying that the marriage was completely legal and that the couple had gone on honeymoon. But later the matter became more serious. Court records revealed that Tarman had already served a two-year sentence in a fraud case. In 2022, he was accused of multi-million rupee fraud related to the business of fake samurai swords. In December 2025, Tarman was arrested by the Pachitan Police. The allegation was that he had given a check of Rs 3 billion just to get the marriage done, which proved to be fake. Tarman also confessed to the police that the check was just a weapon to impress Shela and lure her into marriage. However, Shela Arika still supported her husband and said that she loves Tarman and does not want to hold any complaint against him.
Why did this marriage go viral?
The main reason for this marriage to be in the news was the age difference of 50 years between the couple. While the groom was 74, the bride was only 24. This figure was shocking in itself. Apart from this, the groom had claimed that he had given a dowry of Rs 2 crore. In a country like Indonesia, giving a check of such a huge amount publicly had become a matter of much discussion.
debate in society
The case sparked debate across the world on age-gap marriages, the practice of dower and the trend of older rich men marrying young women. Some people were considering it as a “voluntary decision” while some were calling it “economic exploitation” or “fraud”. According to Islamic tradition, it is mandatory to give dower in Indonesia, but the case of such a huge amount and fake check got stuck in legal complications. Currently, a case of document forgery is registered against Tarman. This can result in a maximum punishment of up to 6 years. Shela is still standing with him. The marriage of both is considered legally valid, but financial disputes and allegations of fraud have put the entire story under doubt.