Wedding Drama!

Bring out those exquisite lehengas and sherwanis. Get ready to preen and pout at the hen and stag party. Practise your dance steps for all the naach-gaana and rehearse your speeches to raise a toast. After all romance is very much on Bollywood’s agenda this season with Mausam and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan having hit the screens and more love stories expected in the months to come. In the last few years real has often imitated the reel in matters of the heart. Not all walks to the altar have been super-smooth as controversies, funny incidents, grand ceremonies and rocking parties have often turned filmi weddings into headline-grabbing affairs. Just check out some of the most talked-about shaadis of the last few years.

ABHISHEK-AISHWARYA
Love story: He had a broken engagement behind him; she had a rocky affair that soured. He was tall, dark and handsome and she was a delicate beauty – a match made in B’wood heaven.

Talking point(s): If there’s a crown for the most controversial wedding of all times, the Abhi-Ash affair would win hands down. First, the guest list was a moot point with all and sundry. Shatrughan Sinha was miffed that the Bachchans had not personally invited him, the neighbours were cross because there was too much noise, the media was angry because the couple didn’t pose for pictures and Mumbaikars were irritated because the wedding caused traffic jams! The highlight, however, was a woman, Jahnvi Kapoor, turning up and claiming to have married Abhishek! She got nothing except some media attention.

Current affair: Four years later, the marriage is super strong, with baby Bachchan on the way.

IMRAN-AVANTIKA
Love story: Imran may say I Hate Luv Storys on screen, but off it, he loves them. He dated Avantika for eight years – a long time by B’wood standards! While not much is known about Imran’s past, Avantika used to date Ranbir Kapoor ages ago.

Talking point: This couple’s wedding was an über cool affair in an exotic destination, Phuket. Right from the wedding card to the mela-themed mehendi and pre-wedding bash at their Karjat farmhouse to the beach wedding ceremony, fun was uppermost on their minds.

Current affair: The picture is pretty rosy as of now.

KARISMA-SANJAY
Love story: We aren’t sure there is a love story here. Karisma announced her wedding to childhood friend and divorcée Sanjay Kapur just a few months after her engagement to Abhishek broke up. Some say it was on the rebound as her mum, Babita, set her and Sanjay up.

Talking point: Karisma’s ‘small’ (in the Kapoors’ own words) wedding had about 500-700 guests with everyone except the Bachchans (obviously!) being invited. Clad in Manish Malhotra and Rohit Bal respectively, Karisma and Sanjay looked great. The media covered this wedding as it was a national event. Interestingly, seven years after the wedding, the entire wedding video has been leaked online! It’s a great view!

Current affair: The marriage is fragile and Lolo’s making a comeback, but is she asking that all-important question: ‘What if…’ we wonder

SHILPA-RAJ
Love story: Star-struck millionaire meets Bollywood beauty and love happens. Shilpa was at an all-time high after Big Brother resurrected her career. The couple reportedly met when Raj was introduced to her after with a proposal to launch her perfume.

Talking point: Lavish, grand and ostentatious – Shilpa’s fairy-tale wedding had an impressive engagement, a traditional wedding at friend Kiran Bawa’s exotic villa in Khandala and a superb reception attended by more than half the industry. This was one of the few weddings that was covered by the international media. Every ceremony was detailed and Shilpa’s trousseau rocked. The ouch moment though, came when the band started playing ex beau Akshay Kumar’s hit songs during the wedding and they were abruptly asked to stop.

Current affair: The couple is still very much in love and they strongly refuted recent rumours of a rift.

AKSHAY-TWINKLE
Love story: Casanova Kumar surprised many by saying ‘yes’ to Twinkle after they started seeing each other during International Khiladi.

Talking point: It was one of the quietest weddings, with a guest list of only about 50 that included Aamir Khan, Dharmesh Darshan and Amar Singh. It was a sudden decision and everything was finalised in a jiffy. The entire ceremony lasted about two and a half hours! The wedding venue was the home of designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, and dad Rajesh Khanna performed the kanyadaan.

Current affair: Twinkle is content playing the stylish B’wood wife and Akshay is a devoted dad and husband.

HRITHIK-SUSSANNE
Love story: When Hrithik decided to get married to Sussanne, millions of hearts were broken. Perhaps one was that of Hrithik himself with the grapevine saying he wasn’t too sure about taking the plunge.

Talking point: Held at Sanjay Khan’s Golden Palm resort, the lavish venue had virtually turned into a fortress. The guest list included only their closest friends and relatives. This was India’s first paparazzi wedding though the media didn’t have much access to it. Reportedly, the editor of a prominent national daily tried gate-crashing the venue – only to fall into the swimming pool!

Current affair: The couple completed a decade of togetherness and went all out to show the world they are still in love – they had to. After all, last year a certain Ms Barbara Mori popped up to cause a 10-year-itch in the otherwise picture-perfect image.