Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza talk to TOI about their romance, ahead of the February 4 wedding

Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza are all set to tie the knot on February 4 after dating for almost a decade. In a candid chat, Ritz and Genie talk about their love story. Here’s a flashback into the prem kahani that has never been told.

The first meeting Riteish: I was flying to Hyderabad for the test shoot of Tujhe Meri Kasam and I was told that the girl opposite me would be there. I walked out of the airport and met Genelia’s mom. Then I saw this tall girl looking in the opposite direction, completely ignoring me. I was like, ‘Why is she behaving like this?’ Genelia (butts in): I did say, ‘Hi!’ I’d found out two days before that he was the Chief Minister’s son so I assumed he was a spoilt brat… a typical politician’s son… so I thought I’d give him attitude before he did! (laughs) Otherwise, I am shy and reserved by nature.

Breaking the ice Genelia: The minute I spoke to him, I realised he was a nice person. On the set, Riteish binds people. I didn’t know anything about films then but he made it look so easy. Also I found it endearing how he was so respectful of my parents and elders. Riteish: Itni taareef maine apne bare mein itne saalon mein nahin suni hai!

Woh pehli baar… Riteish: We started working as strangers, then began understanding each other. Off the sets we soon became best friends. I would discuss architecture with her while she would discuss college and exams with me! The beauty of a relationship is when you get used to a person; it is not sudden. It is just a process, and you don’t realise when love happens. After I came back from the Hyderabad schedule, I started missing her. I wondered whether it was right to call her or not. That dilemma lasted for a few days. Genelia: I was completely floored by Riteish’s personality. I think guys like him are rare in today’s world. I love listening to him and enjoy his views. Falling in love was gradual. Every stage was played out very correctly – be it friends, be it best friends or life partners.

Confessing love Riteish: There was no great realisation of love overnight, nor were there any great declarations. It was understood. We didn’t need to tell each other anything. We were together for days, which went into months and then years. Genelia: The gradual development of our love was so unbelievable that it surprised us. We just grew together. The best part is that we’ve never stopped being friends no matter how much our relationship has grown.

The romantic one Riteish: Neither of us are terribly romantic people, but we believe in special moments. Small things that have happened unknowingly have become romantic moments. Like this year on New Year’s night, we suddenly decided to stop at a coffee shop at 11.30 pm and spend some time together. We try and find happiness in small things. Genelia: We enjoy life and each other’s company. We have a great time over coffee. My world is very small – it includes my parents, Riteish and a couple of friends. When you keep your world so precise, you know what your priorities are.

Him and her Riteish: She is my flag-bearer. I draw unconditional support and love from her. Genelia’s love holds me together and to understand her love is something else. It is amazing. Genelia: I love Riteish. He lets me be. He encourages and pushes me. He’s proud of me and he’s such a secure person. At times, I get cranky but he’s always cool and handles things with maturity. I also love the way he conducts life and his willingness to listen first and then speak.

I hate you Riteish: I hate her memory! While there are certain things I may want to forget, she remembers everything. With time, some things need to be forgotten! Genelia: What I don’t like about him is that he the world’s busiest man. Even on a holiday he will manage to be busy! He will call and tell me he has these meetings and can meet me in between.

Fight club Riteish: We hardly fight. We have differences of opinion. I goof up most of the time but we never yell at each other. I am usually the one to make up first. To make up with a girl is an ever-evolving process! Genelia: I wait for Riteish to sort it out.

The proposal Genelia: He hasn’t proposed as yet… (giggles) Riteish: It’s an arranged marriage, so there was no need to propose formally.

No proposal! Riteish: I have always been weak-kneed in front of her (smiles)! Shaadi ke din bache hai na – kar doonga main propose tab! She was a teenager when we started dating, and I was in my 20s. We have grown up together, having gone from being really childish to having a sense of maturity. Genelia: Formal proposals are mere rituals. It’s important to be happy with the person you are with.

The engagement Genelia: There’s no sparkler (she shows her bare fingers). He’s given himself to me, so that’s fine. Riteish is my biggest and only sparkler. Riteish: Shaadi se pehle de doonga!

Shaadi ke baad Riteish: Agar yeh kaam nahi karegi toh ghar kaise chalega? (laughs) Every decision that’s been made has been hers, but Genelia has always been gracious enough to discuss it with me. So whether she wants to work in films or not is up to her. Whatever she decides is okay with me. Genelia: He’s always told me that it is my decision whether I want to work after marriage or not. Of course, I will prioritise my work differently post marriage. I don’t want to be part of the rat race, but I do want to be part of something good.

All set to play the new-age Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, Hrithik tells Omar Qureshi the pressures of a remake, beating expectations, fighting health problems and prepping to ’save the world’, superhero-style. Read on…

You’re going to be the new-age Vijay Dinanath Chauhan. Are you nervous?
Well, it’s very different from the original character. My Vijay Dinanath Chauhan is a simple, common man. He’s just Vijay. If you start comparing me with Mr Bachchan, I will fail at the word ‘go’.

(more…)

Acting wasn’t a passion for Rani Mukerji, when she burst on to the Indian screens in 1997. It was a job she had taken up as anyone does after college when given her first job. She took this job very seriously because she did not want to let her parents down.

(more…)

Beam Inc has flagged off its 11th edition of the Teacher’s Achievement Awards with a special 14-part televised series, Achievers’ Club on Star World. Leading to the Teacher’s Achievement Awards to be hosted in February next year, the Achiever’s Club will showcase the glittery, glamorous and fabulous lives of self-made achievers of India.

The Achievers’ Club is an exclusive series where India’s most celebrated achievers like KP Singh, Vidya Balan, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Naveen Jindal, Manish Arora, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and many more will share their success mantras and millionaire lifestyle with the host Vir Sanghvi. Each episode showcases the lifestyle of famous achievers and their homes, their passions and their celebrated life including their vacation homes, luxury cars, planes, yachts et al. The show aims to see the real lives of the self made achievers who are the inspiration to humanity through each episode.

(more…)

Ranbir Kapoor talks about working with ex-girlriend Deepika Padukone and getting rid of the ‘Casanova’ tag

Salman calls him the next superstar, Aamir rates him higher than Imran and SRK regards him as a fine performer. And with the blessing of the Khans, he’s ready to win the rat-race and become the No 1 star in the industry.

In a candid chat with Madhureeta Mukherjee, Ranbir comes clean on his casanova image, talks about marriage, clears rumours of his tiffs with Priyanka and talks about dropping the ‘Deepika’ baggage. Read on…

(more…)

Salman Khan is all set to bowl his UAE fans with his charismatic presence in the Celebrity Cricket League to be held in Sharjah next year.

In this exclusive Salman talks about surgery, kids and Bollywood’s younger generation

Excerpts:

1. What is it like playing in Sharjah?

Firstly, it feels great to be part of Celebrity Cricket League and Sharjah being our home ground (Mumbai Heroes) adds that extra excitement. Feels great to be here.

2. Have you watched any matches played in Sharjah?

This stadium is a historic venue. As a kid we have watched so many cricket matches being played here. I am glad that Sohail has chosen Sharjah Cricket Stadium as Mumbai Heroes’ home ground.

Miandad hitting a six off last ball against India in Sharjah cup final 1986, bowler was Chetan Sharma. It was such a close match and India lost it.

4. Team India has not visited this region for some time

That’s why we are here to promote the match and the stadium.

5. Do you think Team India should resume playing matches here and we should see more India-Pakistan matches being played?

Yes of course they should visit. They should play.

6. What other sports you like to play?

I love sports. I like cycling, swimming. I also enjoy tennis a lot.

7. Who is your favourite cricketer?

None other than Sachin Tendulkar

8. Do you enjoy watching any other team play cricket other than Team India for their skills?

I don’t follow cricket much these days. Don’t get that much time anymore. I am sure my fans will like to see me spending more time making movies than sitting in front of TV watching cricket.

9. How do you feel being called the sexiest Bollywood star?

I don’t take these things seriously. They don’t matter to me much. I feel nothing at all.

10. Who among the young stars do you think looks promising in the industry?

I think there are many of them. There’s Ranbir Kapoor, Imran Khan. Arjun Kapoor also looks promising among the newer ones.

11. Who among the ladies do think will top the charts?

Katrina Kaif is good. I think she’s going to be there for quite some time.

12. Are you dating someone?

(Long pause). Let me think ‘ahhh. I don’t know. I forgot actually’ ahh I don’t know.

13. Do you ever want to get married?

(Again a pause) I have been thinking about it. I have been married four times earlier (jokes). But it hasn’t worked out for me. But I will try for the fifth time (laughs).

14. Do you like kids?

I love kids.

15. Do you prefer kids or beautiful ladies around you?

Any day, I will love to have kids around me more.

16. You have resumed work after your surgery. Are you feeling fine now?

I have gone through this surgery to fix whatever went wrong. I hope it’s fixed. I am feeling better now. I will have to go back once more to check if it has been actually fixed.

17. Are your fans going to see you on field playing cricket?

Unfortunately I won’t be playing this time. Due to my health conditions I will have to stay out of the field this time. But I will be here every time Mumbai Heroes play. I will always be there cheering for them.

There was a time when constant speculation about her personal life would upset Genelia D’Souza, but the actress says that she has learnt to take it in her stride and now all that the gossip does is make her smile. As DNA catches up with the actor on the sets of her new film with rumoured beau, actor Riteish Deshmukh, she makes some candid confessions and reveals her marriage plans…

There has been speculation about you getting engaged to Riteish’
Well, I may not be single, but I think it’s really funny how people keep deciding my engagement and marriage dates for me. I take it as a compliment that people think I’m marriage material (laughs).

You have never denied, but you have never admitted your relationship with Riteish either?
It’s not that I’m hiding anything. Riteish is special. But I just prefer to not talk about it at all, so I don’t want to admit or deny anything. When it comes to personal matters, I can’t control what people talk, but I can choose to not become a part of that circus.

Your upcoming romcom Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya is with Riteish. So is the chemistry hotter on screen or off it?
Well, if there is chemistry off screen, I hope it works on screen too.

You had made your Bollywood debut with him’
Yes, and it’s amazing working with him again.

Bollywood apart, you are also juggling a career down South. So, what’s priority?
I’m happy being a part of four film industries. I don’t feel the need to choose one over another.

Did you feel the pinch of not being cast in the remake of one of your biggest hits, Ready?
I am just happy that so many of my hits down South are being remade here. As for competition, so what if Asin was cast in Ready? I was cast in Force, which Asin had earlier done in Telugu. So I don’t really think much of it and enjoy my own space.

You also did a rather sensuous number with actor John Abraham in Force. So are you all for an image make-over now?
I’ll do what my role requires, that’s all. It’s nothing to do with an image change. I am happy being tagged ‘bubbly’.

What about item numbers?
Oh, I’m waiting for the right one. I’d love to do a full-on item song for sure.

Video

Anushka Sharma gets talking about the many men she has been linked up with and the women she is supposed to hate

You refused to wear a bikini for Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl? Why?

I need to make every character I play believable. So I decide my dresses accordingly. Yes, there are films where girls wear revealing outfits for just the heck of it. Sorry, Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl is not that kind of a film.

But you did bold scenes in Band Baaja Baraat and Badmaash Company. Are there objections from your family now?

Not at all. I see it as a job and my parents see it as my job too. And I am not doing what I do on screen in front of my parents. My parents are very intelligent and broadminded. I come from an army background. In fact, I am more orthodox than my parents.

People believe that you have become anorexic…

Rubbish. I am very tall. 5′ 9″ to be precise. This means that if I really put on weight, I shall start looking like a giant. I don’t have the tendency to put on weight. (Pauses)

Go on…

After seeing me in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, people got the wrong impression. In the film, they made me look bigger. I have always been a lean girl. And for heaven’s sake, I am not anorexic. Anorexics eat so little. Watch me eat and you shall know (laughs)!

Well, I know of actresses who do. But I don’t. Only my Man Friday Babu travels with me.

At an awards function, you asked for a vanity van as big as Shah Rukh Khan…

Firstly, we had been given rooms and not vans. I cannot compare myself to Shah Rukh even in my dreams. There was an actress who wanted a room as big as SRK’s but I shall not name her.

It’s said you don’t get along with Sonakshi Sinha…

Untrue. We are fine with each other. Are we are supposed to be at loggerheads because of a guy (Ranveer Singh)? It is so immature to fight with another girl for any guy. As I said in Karan Johar’s chat show, she is free to have Ranveer because I am not dating him.

But you were dating Ranveer at a point in time?

We never dated each other. We are very good friends. But we are two very different individuals. I am a restrained person. He is totally opposite. It’s not possible for us to date. Yes, we are very fond of each other. But at the same time, we can even beat each other up. We have a very volatile friendship.

We heard you didn’t like Ranveer getting close to Parineeti Chopra…

Ridiculous. Please do not embarrass two of my co-actors. And let’s respect women.

Is Parineeti a friend?

Gosh! Can’t I defend her on moral grounds?

But Ranveer said in an interview recently that he and you have drifted apart.

Probably we weren’t shooting together in those days. So there might have been less communication.

So are you and Shahid Kapoor dating now?

Am I not supposed to be dating almost everybody currently? I am dating Shahid. I am dating Arjun Kapoor. I am also dating Ranbir Kapoor. Baba, I am single. I am 23, isn’t it natural for me to go out with my friends? Shahid, Arjun and Ranveer are my closest friends. I still don’t know Ranbir well enough.

Out of Shahid, Imran, Ranveer and Ranbir, who do you think is the best looking?

1. Shahid and 2. Imran

And the hottest?

(Smiles) Ranveer.

Something about the four actors’ flip sides…

Shahid wears his heart on his sleeve, he trusts people too easily. Ranveer is a spontaneous actor, yet he goes methodical. He drinks four litre of coffee every day. Imran is intelligent and has a dry, wicked sense of humour.

Out of the four, whom would you want to be marooned on an island with?

Ranveer (smiles). Since I know him the most, we will find our way back quickly.