Fropper.com - The Lounge: Made for Each Other

March 13, 2008

President Patil Attends Deshmukh Wedding

President Patil Attends Deshmukh Wedding Amit Deshmukh - son of Vilasrao Deshmukh tied the knot with TV actress Aditi Pratap Ghorpade.

The wedding of the season took place last Thursday on 28th February when Amit Deshmukh - son of Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh and brother of Bollywood celebrity Riteish Deshmukh married Aditi Pratap Ghorpade - a TV actress.

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President Patil Attends Deshmukh Wedding

The invitees included none other than President Pratibha Patil, PM Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi herself. All three came to bless the bridal couple.

Unlike younger brother Riteish, Amit is actively involved with his father in politics. He currently acts as the CM's political manager in his Latur constituency.

The bride Aditi, is a TV actress and daughter of businessman Pratap Ghorpade from Bangalore.

The wedding also saw many celebrities from Bollywood including Rekha, Vivek Oberoi, Arjun Rampal, John Abraham, Lata Mangeshkar & Asha Bhosle, Jeetendra, Anjala Zaveri & Deepa Sahi.

Content Courtesy ShaadiTimes

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March 13, 2008 in Made for Each Other | Permalink

February 28, 2008

Sanjay Dutt Weds Manyata

Sanjay Dutt Weds Manyata Munnabhai finally found a Missus as Sanjay Dutt (48) married his girlfriend Manyata (32) on 7 Feb, 2008.

It's finally happened! The hugely popular Munnabhai has met his match. Sanjay Dutt married his girlfriend of several years Manyata. The couple got married in a quiet ceremony at the Taj Exotica in Goa, on February 7. This was followed by a wedding ceremony according to Hindu rituals on February 9 at Manyata's residence in Versova, in suburban Mumbai.

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Dutt was on location in Goa for Suniel Shetty's home production EMI. Sanjay's close friends Bunty Walia, Ajay and Prashant made it for the wedding. However, his sisters were unable to reach the venue in time.

"I am very happy and thank you very much. I love my fans, I love you all and I thank the press for being so supportive and positive", said the groom. Manyata looked ever bit the shy bride, as she stayed by Dutt's side.

"Thank you very much and God bless you all," she said. "I am very exhausted now. I was up the whole night for mehendi and other ceremonies. I am just too happy and don't have any words to express my feelings."

Unfortunately, due to Sanjay's shooting schedule there will be no honeymoon immediately following the wedding.

Content Courtesy ShaadiTimes

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February 28, 2008 in Made for Each Other | Permalink

February 21, 2008

Time Out with Daboo and Jyoti Malik

Daboo Malik Shaaditimes delves into the lives of Daboo and Jyoti Malik.

Daboo Malik Most of us are familiar with the lemming effect where one thing leads to another... the churning, yearning and passion of love turns into acceptance and responsibility of marriage. Where the giggles and secret hugs gives way to the squirming and gnawing doubts. Before you know it there is no going back and you are on automatic just chugging along.

This is especially true, strangely enough, in many instances where couples have been together for a prolonged period. The seemingly, X factor that brought them together in the first place makes way for the Y factor... The Y then substituted for Why me?

Shaaditimes delves into the lives of a couple together for 15+ years for the elusive spirit that causes couples to stay as opposed to stray in the game of love. And love like cricket where team advantage is not limited to best effort, feelings and thoughts is also not always equitable and just.

Let us take a time out with celebrity couple Daboo and Jyoti Malik as they give us their secret simple recipe of a successful marriage.

Seventeen years young, the Daboo and Jyoti Malik marriage has produced two wonderful sons and a healthy lust for each other and life. The couple stands apart due to the commitment they have to each other, in addition to their commitment and responsibilities to family, children and career.

We make Alone Time for Each Other...

According to both, this is the indefinable tangible serving to strengthen their relationship with each other even today.

"No matter what time Daboo returns in the night, after work, we will go out even if it just for a drive...Just him and me to catch-up on the day. We still hold hands and if he doesn't tell me something nice at least once a day there is something wrong," she laughs.

Music Director Daboo (brother of award winning Bollywood artiste Anu Malik) got his first break with "Maine Dil Tujko Diya" (2002) and is one of the top music composers in Bollywood today. However, amidst a shower of accolades, the couple admits their relationship has waffled in the past under the strain of media scrutiny, and individual career and life goals.

After 17 years what is the one ingredient that has kept the fire alive?

Daboo replies mischievously yet with a certain degree of seriousness, "It's lust." He says in his inimitable deadpan manner. Pauses before laughing, "No seriously, I am physically attracted to my wife tremendously. Although I must admit, I am basically a big flirt," he clarifies and continues, "Over the years I have wooed women all the time, yet no one can compare to my wife. I pray the day never comes where I lose my physical attraction for my wife."

The elusive X factor to the success of their marriage?

"Jyoti and I complement each other. I am creative and she is practical," says Daboo. "I am aggressive in nature and have a strong belief in instilling a solid education in children," agrees Jyoti. "Daboo believes in pampering the children and tries to protect them from all emotional and physical upheavals," she says.

"We both prioritise our time today around the children in addition to our careers. Both Daboo and I encourage our children with their creative pursuits (their younger son Armaan is short listed in the top ten in Zee's Young Talent Contest)."

The quality Daboo admires the most in Jyoti today?

"I think it's been her selfless sacrifice to me and the children. Her sincerity to stay focused and her never say die attitude is something I respect about her immensely," he says and then adds, "She does get brash and angry at times."

Jyoti self-consciously says, "Yes I have devoted my life to Daboo and the boys. Daboo has made it easy for me. He appreciates everything about me. He validates me as a person, woman, wife and mother. If he didn't do this..." she stops and continues. "If we didn't make time for each other one-on-one despite our busy daily routines I don't think it would have been possible to have the relationship we share today."

Daboo remembers, "I remember seeing Jyoti during a rehearsal of a play in College. She was with friends and I knew at that moment I would marry her. I just knew," he says. Jyoti laughs and adds, "He just thought about me... I was the one after seeing him that decided I had to find out who he was and make the first move." After which Jyoti just moved in - literally into Daboo's home, heart and life!

Also read
Food & Fitness formula of Anu Malik
"She is really born only for me", says Anu Malik

Rohini Bhatia-Singh

Content Courtesy ShaadiTimes

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February 21, 2008 in Made for Each Other | Permalink

December 06, 2007

Karan Grover - Kavita Kaushik

Karan Grover - Kavita Kaushik Karan and Kavita share their love and life and the sets of Nach Baliye.

They first met at a hotel and later at a party. Karan offered her a drink and she asked him 'Are you the bartender?' They are still high on life. Karan stars in serials like Saarathi and Meri Awaz Ko Mil Gayi Roshni, while Kavita has done a lot of serials like Tumhari Disha, Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kumkum - Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan and Dil Kya Chahta Hai.

So, how did you meet Karan?
Kavita: Hmmm... we met at a Christmas party two years back.

How has it been working with your mate?
Kavita: It will sound very clichéd but it has been fantastic. I have told all his female co-stars about how lucky they are to be working with him. He's very professional and very caring. I love working with him.

Karan: Completely mind blowing! It has been a great working with her. We have never really worked together except for a very small part in Saathi where I wasn't really a part of the team. It's good to be together day in and day out. The best thing about us is that we have the same attitude towards work.

How has the Nach Baliye experience been so far?
Kavita: Honestly, it's been very tiring. There have been too many things to do. Karan and I work on top of this. Karan has a regular soap to take care of and I have a weekly. So, sometimes it gets difficult to keep pace with everything. But at the same time, despite being this busy, the Nach Baliye experience has been very fulfilling.

Karan: The Nach Baliye experience has been a learning one. This year has been a year of changes for me. And Nach Baliye has just been another change for me.

What are the two things you like about Karan / Kavita?
Kavita: Karan is very energetic. He has energy all throughout. Even if he's working all day long, he will still have the energy for everything else. He will not only keep his energy levels high, he will make sure he keeps everyone else's energy levels high too. He's got this 'never say die' attitude. Besides that, he is very optimistic. That's the second thing I love about him.

Karan: Her energy for one. I love her positive outlook in life. Another thing I like about her is that she's very understanding so she completely balances me out. She is the most understanding person I have ever met. She's always there by my side when I need her.

The two things you don't like about him / her?
Kavita: Ummm, the 'never say die' attitude that I just told you about gets too much sometimes. Karan is always full of life. There are times when I want him to rest and I want him to say he's tired. But he never says that. He's a workaholic, loves to work, work and only work. The second thing I don't like about him is that he's obsessed with gadgets and new technology things. Sometimes so much that I wonder if he'll turn into a robot someday!

Karan: There is actually nothing that I totally dislike in her. I only wish she would regularise her eating habits. She has bad eating habits, which lead to her illness and headaches. She needs to have a more regular eating pattern. Also I wish she would start on some pattern of workout. She does nothing of the sort right now.

Have you ever faced any sort of stress on the sets?
Kavita: Ya, a lot of it! The long hours take a toll on me completely. We shoot from 9 in the night that continues up to two in the morning sometimes. The long hours make it stressful because of which my eating habits have gone haywire. While on shoots, I prefer not to eat. And when I shoot for long hours, I just don't eat. Then I get headaches.

Karan: There hasn't been that much of a stress. What I would consider more stressful is watching performances one after the other for hours. These don't seem to end! And you just land up impatiently waiting for your turn. That is very stressful. I'd rather finish off and go home.

Has Nach Baliye altered your relationship?
Kavita: Yes, there has been a change in our relationship. Now, because of the shoot we spend a lot of time together. We have become very comfortable with each other. In fact, so much that I can say it has helped us know each other much better.

Karan: I think Nach Baliye has helped our relationship grow deeper and stronger than earlier.

Can you recall your most romantic moment while at the sets?
Kavita: Ya, there was this one time when I had a terrible headache while shooting. The crew was out getting medicines for me. In the meantime, Karan sat next to me and looked after me. He was constantly by my side. I thought that was very romantic.

Karan: Kavita is a very understanding person. One day I was shooting till late and had no time to practice. I was also in a very bad mood. Kavita landed up on my sets with food and a cake for me, in fact not only for me but also for the whole team! She had got the choreographer with her and a tape for me to see whenever I have the time. I was very touched!

Who among the two of you is a better dancer?
Kavita: I am.

And what makes you say that so confidently?
Kavita: Because everyone says so! (Giggles)

Karan: Definitely Kavita! It's about doing what you do best. Dance for me is very new so I can only try to be as good as her. It's almost like me trying to write this interview as well as you, but in the end we both know who's going to write it better!

Also read :
Amita And Vikas Sethi: Two To Tango
Sweta And Alexx: The Indo-Dutch Foxtrot
Pooja And Hanif: From Jhalak To Nach
Kiran - Ritu: Nach Baliye Or Lad (Fight) Baliye ?

Content Courtesy ShaadiTimes

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December 6, 2007 in Made for Each Other | Permalink

November 29, 2007

Kiran - Ritu: Nach Baliye Or Lad (Fight) Baliye ?

Kiran and Ritu Kiran - Ritu speak about their first meeting and their experience with Nach.

Kiran and Ritu Jhanjani were the first couple of Nach Baliye 3 to be ousted. Ritu blanked out and they were not allowed another performance. The scores were low and the votes were few.

It could be because Ritu has never experienced the world of showbiz and this is her first time on a dance show. Kiran on the other hand is a dancer and didn't expect their fallout after the first round. But they are set to rock the stage with the wild card round.

How did the two of you meet?
Kiran: It's a funny story. I am a party maniac and used to be known as a playboy when I was with Jet Airways. When Ritu joined Jet I had already resigned. But she had seen my posters where I had posed for Jet uniforms. Once she came to Delhi and a friend who had a crush on her asked me to pick her up and, more specifically, to stay away from her.

Once I saw her I had to show off all my style. I drove her from the suburbs to town. She was scared and wondering if I was the same guy she had seen posters of. So we were both edgy and that night we fought. But because of common friends we met a number of times.

One particular Diwali night was different. I had cut down my drinks and sobered down. That's when we got talking and now we are married. And the friend who initially introduced us ignores me every time we meet... even though we are married!

How has your Nach Baliye experience been so far?
Kiran: Ritu is an airhostess and Nach Baliye is different from dancing at a disco or party. You have to be a dancer with a competitive spirit. You have to get aggressive, powerful and competitive. But overall, it has been great fun.

Ritu: The experience has been great. It's something new for me so I was thrilled. Now we are practicing again. It has been exciting because working with your husband is different from living as husband and wife. It has been fun and besides, Nach Baliye is such a popular show, this is the third season. So I am thrilled.

You were the first couple to be out?
Kiran: Initially we were upset but now we are taking it as an accident. We are preparing for the wild card entry. We are kickboxing and ready to bounce back. Nach Baliye is certainly a good platform and it is going to help us in taking up more outdoor performances. For Ritu also, she doesn't have to be in showbiz. But after the 2nd round it had become like a life thing for her. She wants to be a dancer.

We want to perform to entertain and make the judges feel, 'God, they're good!'

Ritu: I'm working hard for the wild card round. Not for 'you get me' types but working hard once again for a good performance. I do kickboxing and other activities so that my body doesn't get caught up.

How has it been working with your partner?
Kiran: When you have been in the industry you feel you know everything. So I tend to show off around her. It is difficult for a newcomer. But she never took it seriously. She accepted what I suggested and she was positive enough to take it and understand it.

I have been aggressive 2-3 times and I have even been called 'lad (fight) baliye '. But then you fight with everyone... your mom, dad and everyone. Working together makes you nicer and more understanding. I think we get along.

Ritu: We have never worked together professionally. Earlier we used to call up each other to ask... where are you. But now we prepare for the same thing and wake up for the same thing. You have the same mindset. You have interviews, practice, etc. So we have moved on from 'where are you'.

Two qualities you appreciate about her / him?
Kiran: I like everything about her. But mainly her strength and positive attitude. People from the industry are not so strong at times. She makes me feel positive and has the 'so what' attitude.

She is also very realistic and caring. After 2 1/2 years of marriage people lose the touch of love. You rarely see them hugging and holding hands. But I don't go out without her to a party. I take her along as a friend, as a lover.

Ritu: He is an honest person. Usually people are different when they talk to different people. If I am talking to a friend I am different, if I am talking to my mother I am different. But he is himself all the time. He will talk to you the same way he will talk to me. It's very difficult to be yourself all the time.

Another thing I like about him is that he is very religious. He goes to a Durgah on Thursday, Hanuman Mandir on Saturday and Mata ka Mandir on Tuesday. If there was a church next to our house, he would go there too.

Two qualities you don't you like about her / him?
Kiran: If she loses her cool, I am dead. So her anger is one thing.

Also, she is very messy. Not organized at all. My cupboard is like a store. I can tell you where my shoes, belts and ties are. But she doesn't know where her clothes are. Her cupboard never shuts. We tend to get argumentative about that.

Ritu: He is very indecisive. He just can't make up his mind. Even if he has to buy a phone he will call 10000 people. I on the other hand just do it. Even if everyone says no, I do it. I can even shop alone because I am used to flying.

And he is too lazy. I am too, but he postpones everything. "We'll do it in the evening", "We'll do it in tomorrow".

Which of the two of you is a better dancer?
Kiran: I am a good dancer because I have been in this industry. But I think she has more grace than anybody. You can't copy grace because it will show or it will look blank. But she needs to be a good dancer.

Ritu: Definitely him.

What has been your most romantic evening out?
Kiran: Mine would be in London although we went out with our family. But it was a good dinner on the roadside. They left us in the corner. It was a cold, English weather. Very beautiful.

Ritu: When we went to Dubai. He calls it our honeymoon but I don't because he was working most of the time. But this was the first time we travelled together to a foreign country. There was a nice small hotel right outside where we were staying. I had lived there so I wanted him to try their dishes. So we used to try new dishes, sit out together in the evening and have a coffee.

Also read :
Amita And Vikas Sethi: Two To Tango
Sweta And Alexx: The Indo-Dutch Foxtrot
Pooja And Hanif: From Jhalak To Nach
Karan Grover - Kavita Kaushik - Cuties of the Nach Baliye sets!

Content Courtesy ShaadiTimes

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November 29, 2007 in Made for Each Other | Permalink

November 22, 2007

Pooja And Hanif: From Jhalak To Nach

Pooja And Hanif Hanif-Pooja Jodi No.10 met as student and teacher on the sets of Jhalak Dhikla Jaa last year...

The pair that met as student and teacher on the sets of Jhalak Dhikla Jaa last year is participating in the popular dance show Nach Baliye - as a couple.

When Pooja Bedi and Hanif Hilal participated as celebrity and choreographer on Jhalak Dhikla Jaa, there was speculation about a possible romantic involvement then and soon, it was out in the open. They were dating and with Pooja having picked up a lot of dancing tips from Hanif in the last one year, the two are ready to roll Nach Baliye 3.

How did the two of you meet?

Hanif: We met through this reality show called Jhalak Dhikla Jaa about a year back. We carried on from there.

How has it been working with your life mate?

Hanif: It has been good. I have already worked with Pooja professionally so it wasn't much of a surprise. I think it's important to treasure and respect each other's personal space. It is also important to have a professional relationship away from your personal affairs. I see it as a creative process where no two people think alike.

It is nice working with her. It is almost like growing with each other. The positive energy is important. Pooja is understanding and creative in her own way. It's great to be working together again.

Pooja: Well, I have already worked with Hanif before so it wasn't much of a surprise. In fact, we have first worked professionally and then got together personally. We had started working together and then moved on to do many shows all over.

How has the Nach Baliye experience been so far?

Hanif: The experience has been fabulous. The more I dance, the more involved I get. I enjoy it thoroughly. It is an interesting experience in all and I am glad to have got this chance.

Pooja: The Nach Baliye experience has been very good. We are already professionally inclined, so it wasn't much of a problem. In fact, it's come to a point when our personal and professional facets are similar and it's easy to work that way. We continue to joke and play pranks on each other while on the sets, so it's a lot of fun at the same time.

What are the two qualities you like about her / him?

Hanif: Hmmm... Pooja is focussed, in fact extremely focussed. I like that about her. It may come across as being stubborn but I see it as being focussed to doing her work. At the same time, she is very kind and generous. Overall, we share a very understanding relationship and that's very important.

Pooja: I love Hanif's body movements and the drama that he brings to each step. He is already trained in Latin dancing so it makes it so much better.

Two qualities you don't like about her / him?

Hanif: I don't see anything that I hate in her. It's very important to have a mind of one's own and we have that. It's about understanding and respecting one another in every relationship.

Pooja: (laughs) Hmmm...let me think. I like everything about him. Ya, I don't like the way he sings! I hate it in fact! And sometimes he insists on singing at the table.

What about stress on the sets?

Hanif: No, there hasn't been any stress on the sets. We all have been one happy family. Nach Baliye has actually brought out the best in me and us all.

Pooja: There has been no stress regarding our personal relationship but on a professional front, it does pose a lot of stress. In fact, a high amount of stress! We are always surrounded by a lot of professional expectation all the time.

At the same time, it's nice to have Hanif around. Together, we manage to help and understand each other. We share a responsibility that helps us get over all sorts of stress.

Has Nach Baliye changed your relationship?

Hanif: No, it hasn't changed our relationship. I could say it has strengthened it even more. I have been working with her so it's not really been a different experience. It is a great way to celebrate the value of life. It has also given me a chance to showcase my love.

Pooja: I wouldn't say 'changed the relationship' in any way. In fact it has strengthened it in a lot of ways. We support each other whenever and wherever!

Your most romantic moment on the sets?

Hanif: (laughs) there have been many actually. (Could you tell us more?)
There was this time during practice that I played a prank on her. I pretended that I got hurt. She took it so seriously that she kept apologizing for it. Later, I felt really bad because it made her cry. She kept saying, "I'm sorry" for a long time. Later on, it was me who said, "I'm sorry".

Pooja: (Laughs) well, small things on the sets happen everyday. I am very fond of flowers. Hanif presents me with flowers every now and then. This one time he presented me with flowers on the set. I was very touched and I think it was the most romantic thing he did for me.

Besides that, there was this prank that he played on me that made me cry. Later on, he said that Pooja cried, 'because of me and for me'. I think that was very romantic too.

Who among the two of you is a better dancer?

Hanif: Well, when it comes to high-energy steps, I have an upper hand because I have been a dancer and have had the experience. As for Pooja, when it comes to being fluid, graceful and elegant, she masters it all. No one's better or worse. We are just different and play it our best.

Pooja: Hanif, any day! He has the expertise and many more years of experience in dance than I have. He's definitely more superior when it comes to dance. I am always trying to be as good as him.

Also read :
Amita And Vikas Sethi: Two To Tango
Sweta And Alexx: The Indo-Dutch Foxtrot
Kiran - Ritu: Nach Baliye Or Lad (Fight) Baliye ?
Karan Grover - Kavita Kaushik - Cuties of the Nach Baliye sets!

Content Courtesy ShaadiTimes

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November 22, 2007 in Made for Each Other | Permalink

October 26, 2007

Sweta And Alexx: The Indo-Dutch Foxtrot

Sweta And Alexx Set to be married soon, Jodi No.1 are setting the Nach Baliye stage ablaze.

Nach Baliye 3 has given popular actress Sweta Keswani and her half-Irish-half-Dutch boyfriend Alexx O'Neil their first chance to work together. Alexx is not conversant in Hindi but he has tasted Bollywood with his brief roles in Cheeni Kum and Loins of Punjab Presents where he spoke only English.

Set to be married soon, Sweta and Alexx are setting the Nach Baliye stage ablaze. Their fusion performance where Alexx pulled off being a pundit from the south of India gave them glorious accolades. Let's hear it for the couple that is fusion personified.

How did you meet?
Sweta: We met at a party through a common friend and got to know each other gradually. We started dating much later where I had to tell him to take a call and ask me out or I would be gone.

How has it been to work with your life mate?
Sweta: It has been strange working with him. Since we come from such different fields, we never thought we would work together. But now our fields and work are colliding.

How has the Nach Baliye experience been so far?
Sweta: Hectic. We are always exhausted. We crave to watch movies, to party with our friends and to do normal things.
Alexx: It has been strange for me since Nach Baliye started. In the initial months my microwave broke, then my air conditioner broke, everything broke. There was no food and I had to eat out everyday. When I finally did get a new microwave, the old one strangely started to work. So it has been a strange combination of good luck and bad luck.

Who is more creative among the two of you?
Alexx: I think both of us are. One comes up with a string and then we cut through with our own ideas. Let me tell you, we can't choose our songs. They say we can change them but it doesn't really happen. But I guess that is part of the creativity... to work on something that is given to you.

What qualities do you appreciate in him?
Sweta: His honesty, simplicity and affection.

What qualities do you appreciate in her?
Alexx (like an excited, doting lover): Her thoroughness with thoughts. She plans very well and is a good opposite for me because I don't plan. She has that spark. She came to Mussoorie to see me once. That was an 18-hour journey by air, bus and more. She reached when I was eating lunch and you would think she wanted to chill. But she simply picked me up and we spent all day seeing everything there was to see in Mussoorie.
She is also straight forward, which I really admire about her. There are many people in this field who lie but she'll say everything on the face. I could go on and on about her.

The qualities that you don't like about him?
Sweta: His laziness. He is always late. Has no sense of timing.

The qualities that you don't like about her?
Alexx: I would want her to be more patient. Sometimes she snaps and forgets how difficult it is for me because of my background. She wants everything to be perfect - the expression, timing and everything. But she just needs a quiet reminder.

Stress on the sets?
Sweta: I blow my fuse very often. At that time he goes quiet and just lets me be. But I think we deal with it pretty well. We let go very soon. We don't hold a grudge for more than 10 minutes. Life is too short for that.
Alexx: I think we deal a lot better than the other couples. I don't know how they do it. Kiran and Ritu (Janjani) had a whole fight on the reality section. But I don't know how they do it.

Has Nach Baliye helped your relationship?
Sweta: Yes, I think it has. We have become so accommodating that we have no conflict to give to the audience. There are so many clashes among the other couples but we never have them.

Your most romantic moment?
Sweta: We love sitting next to the beach. Have a soup or take a drink. I would love to go back to Goa and sit by the beach as the waves come and go. Wow!
Alexx (grins): The most romantic time we had was when I proposed to her. But I can't tell you about it.

How's the dancing been?
Sweta: Tough ya. Alexx has been better than me. He doesn't leave anything to chance. He has never done this before so he has a lot of fright and is more careful. I'm not saying I'm confident but stage fright gets the best of me.
Alexx: Dancing on the stage hurts your back, your legs and your brains. It is a lot of work. It takes over your life.

What are you hoping from the show?
Sweta: I don't know. We have a lot of expectations but no hope. We don't want to be impractical because this is totally new for Alexx. It also depends on the audience and the fans. If they like what we present then we stand all the chances. But we have no expectations so that we don't land up getting hurt.

Content Courtesy ShaadiTimes

October 26, 2007 in Made for Each Other | Permalink

March 30, 2005

Politics of Relationship - Hema and Murli Deora

Albert Ellis once said, "The art of love... is largely the art of persistence." Thirty years ago, Murli Deora followed this art single-mindedly to pursue the love of his life, Hema.

Murli Deora is a popular politician, an industrialist and a respectable citizen known to almost every Mumbaiite. One-time Mayor of Mumbai, he has not let his dedication for work detract from his devotion to family.

She has been the Ponds model in the yesteryears. An interior decorator, an artist, a socialite, a loving wife and an affectionate mother; Hema Deora is a perfect blend of a homemaker and a career woman.

Although, both are winners as individuals in their respective fields together they are an ideal couple. Sharing is a word that describes their marriage, for they share not just their interest in art, music and bridge but also their lives.

In an exclusive with ShaadiTimes they revealed their inner selves and their lives.

Not the guy for me...
"In 1968, the American Peace Corporation was sending their volunteers to India to provide aid to needy villagers, for which they required young students to teach Marathi language to the volunteers. I was chosen as one of the candidates by the selection committee, which had Murli Deora in it. That's when I first met him. After the interview, he gave me his card saying that I should get in touch with him, if I had any problems. I was thrilled at the prospect of an influential man willing to help out a young girl like me," recalls Hema.

"It so happened that one day he called me and asked if I could meet him. We met and later on, he would send me flowers, call me twice a day, come to my college to pick me up and drop me home. It was all very embarrassing. All my friends liked him and would tell me to take him seriously, but I would tell them, 'any guy but him'." Hema says with a twinkle in her eyes.

Just the girl for me...
For Murliji it was love at first sight. "The moment I set my eyes on her, I knew this was the woman I wanted to spend my life with. I was determined on marrying only her and no one else," confesses Murliji. It was her simplicity and strong personality that drew him to her. "She appeared to be a woman who knew her mind, but at the same time, someone who didn't shy from asking help from a man."

Hema felt the first stirrings when he left for Israel on a delegation. "After he left, I started missing him and soon realised that he had become an integral part of my life. When he came back he didn't call me for a few days instead would enquire about me through my friends referring me as ghamandi (proud). A few days later I called him up admitting my feelings for him. Coming from a traditional family we never courted as such and felt it was better to get married, so on 11th October we got engaged and two months later on 11th December, 1970 we got married," says Hema.

A politician in the making
"When I married him, he wasn't a full-fledged politician," says Hema. "He had just won the Mumbai elections, so we didn't know what life had in store for us. It was only when I started accompanying him for campaigns and we discussed political agendas that I got a fair idea about politics. In a way, we have grown together in this field, where he leads the way and I follow him like a shadow."

Children face the brunt
Politics, according to Hema, is not a great career to be in because the barbs and the brickbats, so intrinsic to the murky world of politics, can get the entire family. "When Congress was not in power and Murli was going through a rough patch, we had a tough time. It affected my children badly because their classmates would taunt them about their father's poor political image. At cocktail parties, I had to face ladies who would mock at my husband. But in the end, people realised that here was a man who was genuine and who worked for the people irrespective of whether his party was in power or not," says Hema with tears in her eyes.

Quality time with family
Giving her husband all the credit for encouraging her to be a liberal career woman along with a home- maker she says. "He made me realise that if I organised my time well, I could achieve a lot in life. When my husband stood for elections, I accompanied him on campaign trails. When my children were in school, I took up Interior decoration, which allowed me the flexibility of returning home before they did so that I could spend time with them. Let me tell you an interesting thing. I started playing bridge very late in life but I have won the World Bridge Championship. All this wouldn't have been possible without my husband's constant support," admits Hema.

Murliji interjects: "I was busy charting my political graph to have much time for home, but I made sure that I spent quality time with my family on holidays. Hema played an important role in cementing ties between my children and me. Though I had very little time for my sons, she ensured that they understood me and loved me all the same."

"And today, the children are closer to their dad than they are to me," says a proud Hema.

Face up rather than face off
"Over the years, we have developed ways of creating a positive atmosphere where we can communicate freely. Differences and fights are inevitable, but we try and keep our exchanges amicable. Couples should always turn towards each other rather than away, only then can relationships survive and progress well," explains Murliji.

"Each partner must understand other's needs. It is both their responsibility to nurture the relationship, though it is usually the wife who is more of a binding factor in a family because most of the times the husband is preoccupied with other things," feels Hema.

No time for birthdays and anniversaries
"I like his ability to deal with people, be it a politician or a downtrodden man. He makes sure that no one goes away without being served. Also, he has tremendous amount of energy, which keeps him going, day after day. In comparison, I am slow and love to chill out more. However, I do dislike the fact that he has very little time for me. Once home, he sits glued to the television," complains Hema half-heartedly.

Hema and Murli Deora are rare socialites who do not celebrate their birthdays or anniversaries! "Working for the spastic society, we have become more aware of the sufferings and the misery of the less-privileged people; how can we celebrate something so inconsequential as a birthday or an anniversary. It's just a quiet dinner with our sons," says Murliji, "and full marks for my wife for giving up these pleasures. It isn't easy for a woman not to celebrate her anniversary!"

Natasha Havewala

March 30, 2005 in Made for Each Other | Permalink | Comments (1)

March 24, 2005

Peas in a pod. It takes two to tango.

Shaaditimes' 2nd AnniversaryLove is mysterious. Sometimes we wonder how two opposites spend a lifetime together. They complain, hate, nag and demand. But also endure, forgive and love. Shaaditimes shook some known faces out of their relationship reverie to speak about their better half. Let us understand what keeps them together.

Shruti & Alok Ulfat

Two things you dislike in your spouse

Shruti: I dislike him because he doesn't allow me to make mistakes. He is too perfect. He is dangerously organised and he expects the same from me.
Alok: I don't dislike anything in her.

Two things you love about your spouse

Shruti: He is a fantastic husband and he allows me to grow.
Alok: She is down to earth. She doesn't compromise on bullshit or materialistic ideas.

Alok Ulfat & Shruti Two things that brought you together
Shruti: Theatre and marriage. Three months after we first met at the workshop, we got married.
Alok: Our intention to save the society and to explore life to the optimum.

Two things you have in common

Shruti: We both cook well and are vegetarian. We both believe in environment.
Alok: We both are performers. We both love poetry.

Two things you both hate

Shruti: We hate people throwing garbage on the road and people who are not themselves.
Alok: We hate drugs. We hate non-vegetarian food.

Manini De & Mihir Mishra

Two things you dislike in your spouse

Manini: The first thing he does when he wakes up in the morning is smoke, and that annoys me a lot. He is very careless about himself, he never goes to the doctor if he is not well. I have to always push him.
Mihir: There is nothing I hate about her. She is perfect.

Two things you love about your spouse

Manini: He is one of the most genuine, loving and affectionate people. He has the ability to give you so much.
Mihir: The way she calms me down and romances with me.

Two things that brought you together

Manini: Our ability to be honest and our straight forwardness. We both are full of life and our sense of humour also matches.
Mihir: Destiny and the unexplainable love for each other.

Two things you have in common

Manini: Ability to laugh in the middle of a fight. We enjoy going out, fine dining and fine conversation.
Mihir: We both have passion for life and passion for each other.

Two things you both hate

Manini: We hate people who try to control us, may be because we both are fire signs. Also people who create a scene in public.
Mihir: We hate diplomatic people and all those who lie.

Mohnish Behl & Ekta Ekta & Mohnish Behl

Two things you dislike in your spouse

Ekta He is a workaholic, which sometimes gets on my nerves.
Mohnish: I hate absolutely nothing about her.

Two things you love about your spouse

Ekta: His nature. He is a very understanding husband.
Mohnish: She is an excellent human being and looks stunning.

Two things that brought you together

Ekta: A crocin that he offered me on the set, that's how we started knowing each other. Ours was a love at first sight.
Mohnish: And our nature.

Two things you have in common

Ekta: Our daughter. We both have a good sense of humour.
Mohnish: Our daughter and the emotional and physical relationship we share.

Two things you both hate

Ekta: Untidiness and we both hate our daughter not doing well in her studies.
Mohnish: Dishonesty and untidiness.

-Sabina Nazareth

March 24, 2005 in Made for Each Other | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Peas in a pod. It takes two to tango.

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