Ashutosh Rana and Renuka Shahane’s relationship was finally official on 25 May 2001 when television’s favourite soap queen Renuka Shahane of Sailaab, Kora Kagaz and Khamoshiyan Kab Tak fame, tied the knot with her beau of two years , the fascinating actor Ashutosh Rana on the afternoon of Friday, May 25.
Said the beaming Renuka in an exclusive interview with Subhash K Jha on the eve of their wedding, “ We want it to remain simple because Ashutosh’s spiritual Guru wanted it that way. Simplicity suits us fine since we have no time to arrange an elaborate wedding . We’re undergoing a simple ceremony in the presence of just close friends and family in Ashutosh’s native place Bandakpur in Madhya Pradesh. After that we stay over for one day for family pujas. Then we’re back in Mumbai for shooting. We weren’t forcing our relationship either way. Marriage is happening in its normal course.”
Only close friends and associates were informed of their wedding plans. Said Renuka, “Not that I’m hiding it. I never have hidden anything. But we haven’t got wedding invitations printed. There’s absolutely no time. We’ve informed close friends by phone. But most of them can’t accompany us at such a short notice. “
Only Renuka’s immediate family—her parents, brother and sister-in-law and a couple of close friends from Delhi— attended her wedding in Madhya Pradesh. “I’m extremely happy. Both of us have become completely comfortable in the two years that we’ve known each other.”
Renuka said she had every intention of continuing with her career.
Ashutosh Rana was equally content with marriage. “Ab main bahut achche terah is zindagi bitaaonga,” he laughed on the sets of Vikram Bhatt’s latest thriller Raaz . “My Guruji advised me to get married. He likes Renuka and thinks she’s perfect for me. I’ve to obey what my Guruji commands me to do.”
So is Ashutosh marrying his girlfriend only on his Guruji’s say-so? “Not just me, Renuka too is marrying me only because Guruji says so,” he quips. “She believes me and my Guruji. We’re getting married in my Guruji’s area of activity. He’s making all the necessary arrangements. Neither he nor we are interested in an ostentatious wedding. We’re leaving for Madhya Pradesh on the 24th to get married on the 25th and we’ll be back on the 27th. I’m thrilled. Marriage is a culmination of our 2-year old relationship. I’m sure we’re going to be very happy with each other.”
Regarding Renuka’s plans to direct her man in a feature film Ashutosh quips, “She has been ordering me around in privacy. Now the world will see her bossing me on the sets.”
