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