In a refreshingly honest conversation on her podcast, actress Soha Ali Khan, along with guest Sonakshi Sinha and relationship expert Kasturi Mahanta, peeled back the layers on modern romance, marriage, and the pressures that come with it. The episode offered rare personal insights from two Bollywood stars at different stages of their marital journeys.
Sharmila Tagore's Unconventional Worry
Soha Ali Khan, who has been married to actor Kunal Kemmu for nearly a decade after tying the knot in January 2015, shared a surprising anecdote about her mother, the legendary Sharmila Tagore. Soha revealed that she and Kunal were in a relationship for seven years before marriage and had been living together for two years prior to their wedding.
It was during this live-in phase that her mother expressed a unique concern. "Kunal and I were together for seven years before we got married. We were living together for two years before marriage," Soha recalled. "That’s when my mother said, ‘Now he’s not going to marry you. You’ve taken away all the interest,’ and I thought, ‘Maybe she’s right.’"
This candid revelation highlights the generational perspectives on commitment and cohabitation. Soha added that her mother believed "men need a little push—otherwise they won’t ask you to marry them."
The 'No Big Deal' Decision to Marry
Despite external doubts, Soha explained that for her and Kunal, the institution of marriage wasn't an overwhelming priority initially. "We weren’t actually wrapped up in the idea of marriage anyway," she said. "Kunal said it wasn’t that important, and I also felt that maybe it’s not that important."
The decision eventually came about organically. "Eventually, since it wasn’t such a big deal, so we thought, we might as well get married," she stated. The couple, who are now parents to daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu, were also encouraged by their families' interest, which gave them the final nudge.
Sonakshi Sinha's Seven-Year Path to 'I Do'
Fellow actress Sonakshi Sinha, who recently married longtime boyfriend Zaheer Iqbal, provided a contrasting yet equally insightful perspective. Unlike Soha and Kunal, Sonakshi and Zaheer did not opt for a live-in relationship before marriage.
"We didn’t stay together before; we didn’t have a live-in relationship, but we travelled a lot," Sonakshi shared. She emphasized that extensive travel served as their compatibility test. "So I knew what it was like to be able to live with someone... Because there are certain things that really bother me, I like clean people. I don’t want to go into a room that looks like a mess. You learn these little things about a person when you travel together."
Sonakshi, who dated Zaheer for seven years, expressed a clear-eyed readiness for the next step. "I was really looking forward to getting married and living with him. And I think he felt the same," she said. "We were dating for seven years… and then finally, it reached a point where we were both ready and both in it for the long run. It just comes to you."
Breaking Proposal Norms
In a sweet conclusion to her thoughts, Sonakshi Sinha revealed she is a firm believer in equality in proposing. She disclosed that she was proactive in expressing her feelings to Zaheer. "I would have definitely proposed if he hadn’t by then; I don’t think only the guy should propose," she asserted boldly.
"I was the first one to tell him I love you… I told him I wanted to marry him. And he thought I was absolutely mad," she laughed, adding, "But I just knew. I can’t explain how and why."
This episode of Soha Ali Khan's podcast moves beyond superficial celebrity chatter, offering a genuine look at how contemporary Indian couples navigate love, compatibility, and societal expectations. The stories of both Soha and Sonakshi demonstrate that there is no single blueprint for a successful relationship, whether it involves a decade-long marriage or a new beginning after a seven-year courtship.
