‘We wanted to be together’

Television actors Sachin Shroff and Juhi Parmar, who now play an onscreen couple, share with us their tale of love

Sachin Shroff and Juhi Parmar’s love story wasn’t a romantic cliché — sparks didn’t fly when they met for the first time. They first met while shooting for a pilot of a TV show that was later shelved. But they decided to stay in touch as friends, and five months later, as they say it, “love just happened”. The duo got married in February 2009 at a palace in Jaipur.

After featuring in reality shows such as Pati Patni Aur Woh and Nach Baliye 5, they took a break from TV. Now the couple is back as an onscreen pair on &TV’s Santoshi Maa. In a candid chat with us, they shared their real life love story with us. Excerpts:

How did you come to feature together on the same show Sachin: Juhi was on maternity leave. During Navratri this year, we got the offer from the makers of Santoshi Maa. And that’s it. We decided to take it up. Juhi: I believe it was a great opportunity for me to play a Santoshi Maa devotee since I am an ardent devotee of the goddess, plus I’m getting to play Sachin’s onscreen wife. How has being parents changed your life Juhi: The tiniest routines like shopping and going out have changed after our daughter was born. Earlier, when we shopped, we used to just think about us, but now when we go shopping, we immediately want to buy something for our daughter. She has moved up our priority list — it has become a habit to buy things for her first. Every time we go out for a party or an event, we cannot use the front door since it doesn’t please her much. Our focus is entirely on our daughter now. How did you two fall in love and decide to tie the knot Sachin: We met while shooting for a pilot episode for a show. We were friends for a very long time. Five months later, we got in touch, and love just happened. We both wanted to be together; both of us were sure about getting married to each other. So it was a natural progression to tie the knot.

What are a few things that you love about each other And a habit that annoys you Sachin: I love that she is an excellent manager — I don’t have to worry about anything. I am a workaholic and in my absence, she manages the house well. She does everything perfectly which I fail to do so at times. One thing that annoys me is her anger. She is short-tempered and I am the exact opposite. Juhi: Sachin is very calm and easy going unlike me. His habit of forgetting things frequently annoys me. Do you two have any special memories from the wedding Juhi: The whole wedding was special to me. It was held at a palace in Jaipur and was nothing short of royal. It was one of the top 50 royal weddings in Jaipur. The stay, the food and the people — everything is memorable to me.

Any changes your spouse has brought about in you for the better Sachin: Juhi has changed my sense of dressing. Earlier I preferred dressing in casuals. I liked wearing pajamas all the time. I was never too cautious about choosing my clothes. Juhi: As an actor, I wasn’t very comfortable going out and interacting with people. He has brought that change in me — now I can step out of my comfort zone.

What are your future plans Sachin: I prefer living in the present. I am not a person with plans. Juhi: Whenever we make plans, God laughs at us because he has already made plans for us. We just wish to go forward with his blessings. What is the best compliment you’ve got from your partner Sachin: When she said, “I trust you”. Juhi: He always tries to make me feel better, even when I gained weight, he would say that I am the prettiest woman around.

Rapid fire: Nicknames for each other: Sachin: Baby Juhi: Baby Most memorable date: Sachin: On Juhi’s birthday, just before our wedding Juhi: 27 January 2015, when our daughter was born Look that suits your partner best: Sachin: Saree Juhi: Shirts and denims. Your favourite holiday destination: Sachin: Goa and Thailand Juhi: Thailand A place you’d love to visit: Sachin and Juhi: Paris — that is where we’d like to go. Food you can’t do without: Sachin: Eggs, but this is simply because of my diet these days Juhi: Any food as long as it’s tasty Best surprise received from each other: Sachin: She surprises me all the time. Juhi: When he flew from Mumbai to Indore while I was shooting for a movie Padduram because I was angry with him.