In a candid conversation, Television sweethearts Mouli Ganguli and Mazher Sayed indulge in a heart to heart on finding love in an unexpected place!
Q. When did you tie the knot?
A: We got married on the October 15, 2010.
Q. Share your ‘Jab We Met’ moment with us?
Mazher: My first impression of Mouli wasn’t good at all; I thought she was someone with a lot of attitude. But gradually, I identified the simple girl in Mouli, who used to be in her own world reading, and listening to music.
Mouli: That time he was into theatre, in Atul Kumar’s ‘The Company Theatre’, with Neeraj Kabi, Salim Ghouse, Kader Khan, and Alliance France. He carried a typical look. He wore a cap, the ‘Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin’ types and used to carry a bag with him. Moreover, he had chubby cheeks, so for me, he was an innocent paplu kind of guy.
Q. The moment you knew that you want to spend the rest of
your life together? Who proposed for marriage and how?
Mouli: There was no particular moment or proposal. We just don’t know how the time passed by. I pray that things remain the same always.
Mazher: We never realised when it happened. It was when we were spending long hours for our shoots, we realised that we have so much
in common. Slowly my feelings developed for her, but I didn’t have the guts to tell her. At last, I confessed and she went on like, “Are you crazy! How can you ever think! We are good friends but love is nowhere near our friendship.” The next morning, she called up in a weeping voice and said, “I think you were right, even I love you.” But we kept it under wraps, and just told our parents, close friends, as we were quite young to handle rumours.
Q. Share your wedding destination and the theme you chose.
Mouli: As my granny was old and couldn’t travel, we got married in Kolkata. So, when I had to leave for my Bengali movie’s shoot and to judge a reality show in Kolkata, we thought this was the perfect time. Both of us were keen on keeping it a private affair. The only theme that we opted for was love and happiness, as that’s the most important ingredient in any relationship.
Q. Which place did you choose to sojourn in for your honeymoon?
Mouli: After the close-knit affair, both of us got back to our respective shoots, I stayed back for my movie and show’s shoot in Kolkata and Mazher returned to Mumbai in a week for his show ‘Rakt-Sambandh’.
Mazher: I was going to Kolkata for the first time and since, it was during Durga pooja, we decided to stay back instead of going for a short trip. I had a lovely time knowing her family.
Q. Has marriage changed you as a person?
A: No, in fact not even an ounce. People always keep telling us that we come across more as friends than a married couple. We always wanted it that way, so we are quite happy with it.
Q. The best gift you brought for him?
Mouli: As they say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, I too go by it. Mazher is a foodie, so the best gift for him is a nicely cooked meal. So, for the first time in my life, I actually bought a recipe book and cooked Chinese food for him on his birthday. I am not that great a cook, but I was determined to prepare Chinese delicacies for him. I was not confident, but he liked it a lot. You see love balances out the imbalance in the ingredients.
Q. You take pride in your life partner because?
Mouli: Because he accepts and respects me the way I am.
Mazher: Because she completes me.
Q. One piece of advice for people who are looking forward to tying the knot?
Mouli & Mazher: Always be with the person who stands by you. Marriage is about companionship and is about going through the thick and thin. Most importantly, in the process of marriage, one shouldn’t lose the friendship with each other.
