‘We’re friends first and then partners’

Nikitin Dheer and Kratika Sengar talk about the importance of friendship in a marriage and how they cherish their time with each other

Nikitin Dheer is currently looking forward to playing Astika in his first ever fiction show titled Nagarjun-Ek Yoddha. His doting wife Kratika Sengar, a well-known television actress herself, has played a vital role in warming up the Bollywood baddie to the small screen. The couple that had admired each other’s work hit it off instantly over long discussions about their projects. The bond gradually developed into love, and marriage followed. In a free wheeling chat, they spoke of their journey together. Excerpts:

How did your paths cross

Nikitin:

Kratika had come home to meet my father, Pankaj Dheer. I was a big fan of her work in Jhansi Ki Rani and other shows. So I decided to go up to her to introduce myself.

Kratika:

We met at his house when I had gone to meet his father. We must have met even before but there was no official introduction.

Was it love at first sight

Nikitin:

I wouldn’t exactly term it that because we knew we liked each other but love developed over a period of time.

Kratika:

We were on the same page when we met. Hence the attraction was strong, however, we were too matured to call it love at first sight.

What attracted you to each other

Nikitin:

Kratika is a complete family girl. Also she has a lot of qualities that I was looking for in a life partner such as integrity, grit and a strong personality.

Kratika:

I knew of Nikitin before I met him and I really liked his work. So when we met we had a lot to talk about. He also came across as a very genuine person and not flirty. That attracted me to him.

What was the moment like when you guys said ‘chalo shadi kar lete hain’

Nikitin:

I was in South Africa and she was in Mumbai and we had this discussion over WhatsApp. I felt like I have a lot to do and prove before getting married but she explained to me that we would always have something to do in life, which I realised was true. So I asked her if she is ready not just for the rosy parts of life but also the tough part and she said ‘absolutely’ in an instant. The moment felt very real.

Kratika:

We were watching a movie when he first spoke about marriage and I didn’t react and even after the movie, we never revisited the topic. However, when he was away for a shoot, I think in South Africa, his father told me about his feelings.

Was the transition from lovers to becoming life partners smooth

Nikitin:

We had six months between the roka and shaadi. While I was working, she wasn’t, so we had enough time to get acquainted with each others’ likes and dislikes, habits and moods.

Kratika:

All the time spent together has been very smooth. In fact, even today I feel like I am in a live-in relationship, as we still treat each other like friends first. His family is really a lot of fun so there’s always masti in the house.

Does marriage in any way push friendship out of the window

Nikitin:

In marriage, lines get blurred between being friends and being husband and wife. However if the friendship goes out of the window it also comes back fast.

Kratika:

Not at all. We are friends first and then partners.

One thing you like and one thing you dislike about each other

Nikitin:

I like the way she stands by me like a rock no matter what. She is short tempered; I dislike that about her.

Kratika:

I like everything about him. He is very obedient and disciplined. I would love for him to just relax one day but he doesn’t listen. That’s the only thing I dislike.

Who makes peace first when you two fight

Nikitin:

I’ll nominate myself for this

Kratika:

90 per cent of the times it is Niki who makes peace first

Dos and Don’ts of relationship you swear by

Nikitin:

Have respect, don’ttake your partner for granted and don’t take each other too seriously. That makes it boring

Kratika:

Keep experiencing new things and experimenting. Don’t stick by any rules.

Craziest thing you did together Nikitin: Kratika scares easily, so I took her to the Edinburgh Dungeon thinking it will scare her. However my prank backfired. She enjoyed it so much that we went for it again. Kratika: That’s for us to know and you to wonder! A special thing you both did for each other Nikitin: After a long schedule out of town, I drove straight to Madh Island where she was shooting to surprise her. Even though the shoot location was inconvenient, but seeing the smile on her face was completely worth the effort. Kratika: I am not a romantic person, however, on his birthday I tried surprising him by booking a room at the Taj and taking the day off from work. When away, how many times do you end up calling each other Nikitin: We talk only during breaks as we both are shooting most of the times. However, we stay connected on chat. Kratika: We message each other throughout the day, after every shot. We don’t call each other that frequently though. Have there been moments when you felt you aren’t giving enough space to each other Nikitin: Our scenario is the opposite, in fact, because we both are in that kind of a profession where we get very little time to spend with each other. Hence we feel like we need more time together instead the other way around. Kratika: We have to find time together as we both keep busy.

Rapid fire: Most memorable date: Nikitin: It’s the date before our engagement where I went to meet her and kept annoying her with questions such as, ‘are you sure you want to get married to me’. It was fun to annoy her, as she must have thought I am such a jerk. Kratika: It was our first date and on the same day we had our roka Ultimate romantic fantasy: Nikitin: To spend time together on a hill station with no disturbance Kratika: I’ll let that be a secret!

Favourite holiday destination: Nikitin: London Kratika: Switzerland Song you hum for each other: Nikitin: Do deewane sheher mein Kratika: Agar tum saath ho from the movie Tamasha. Also, Tere Mere Sapne (Guide) is a song I started liking after meeting Nikitin.

If marooned on an island, what are the things you would like to take along Nikitin: As long as we have each other, it’s enough Kratika: Having Nikitin with me would be more than enough