#NICKYANKA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a crowd in congratulating newlymarried couple actress Priyanka Chopra and American singer Nick Jonas at their reception here on 4 Dec.

Modi arrived amid tight security to be part of the special day of the actress, who first made India proud by winning the Miss World crown in 2000, and then became a leading Bollywood actress, followed by a rare successful crossover into Hollywood.

The PM, who was escorted on stage by Priyanka’s mother Madhu Chopra, gifted the newly-weds a rose each and shared some moments of laughter. He was dressed in a white kurta-pyjama with a black Nehru jacket. He remained on stage for about 10 minutes, meeting Nick and Priyanka’s families with folded hands and exchanging pleasantries.

Priyanka introduced her brother-in-law Joe Jonas and his to-be-wife, Game Of Thrones actress Sophie Turner - dressed in a beige lehenga - to Modi, saying, “Inki bhi shaadi hone waali hai (They are also going to get married).”

The couple of the night posed with panache, but also engaged in banter throughout the party even as guests queued up to meet them one after another.

Bollywood’s ‘desi girl’ was all smiles. “On a scale of 1 to 10 in happiness, I’m 12,” said, while Nick said, “I’m a fan of Indian weddings.”

Priyanka dazzled in an elegant shimmering Falguni and Shane Peacock ensemble with a multi-layered diamond necklace and earrings, with her hair neatly tied in a bun complete with white roses. She flaunted the chooratraditional red bangles worn by a Punjabi bride - and sported vermillion. Nick was dressed in a velvet dinner jacket and completed the look with a bow tie.

The venue, the Durbar Hall at the Taj Palace Hotel, was done up elegantly with exotic white and soft pink flowers. The “NP” icon, which has remained a staple throughout the couple’s wedding, stood out on the elaborate stage.

Candles flickered away at different spots of the venue which was enlivened by the sound of live music and a free flow of cocktails and a wide variety of food.

There was also an element of quirk with a vintage car which read “Just Married”.

The gala evening was preceded by a three-day extravaganza in Jodhpur’s majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace, where Priyanka, 36, and Nick, 26, exchanged wedding vows as per Christian and Hindu rituals in two separate ceremonies.

Their pre-wedding rituals at the celebrations, which saw participation from just a little over 200 guests, included a “mehendi” ceremony. There was also a friendly cricket match between the two families, as well as a glitzy and power-packed musical evening.

Of her wedding, Priyanka, a National Award-winning actress who has made her name in Hollywood as the lead star in American show Quantico, told people. com of her wedding: “I love that our wedding was a religious mash-up. We took beautiful traditions that we both grew up with and personalised them in a way that made sense for us. It’s been incredible to find the commonalities between our beliefs and figuring out how to blend them in a respectful and meaningful way.”

There were 225 guests in all at the epic weekend wedding at the majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace. These included Nick’s brothers Kevin with wife Danielle, Joe with fiancee and actress Sophie Turner and Frankie along with Priyanka’s brother Siddharth.

The festivities - which also included a friendly cricket match - were all planned by Sandeep Khosla and Aditya Motwane, respective founder-owners of Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla and Motwane Entertainment & Weddings.

On 1 December, the day after the couple held a mehendi ceremony and a sangeet that night in which both families performed elaborate musical numbers, Priyanka and Nick were married in a Western ceremony on the palace’s lawn. Wearing a hand-beaded and embroidered Ralph Lauren gown with a veil that has been described as “football-field sized”, Priyanka looked ethereal as she was escorted down the aisle by her mother Madhu.

“It was all tears. All tears,” said the actress, who carried a bouquet of hyacinths and tuberoses designed by Jenya Flowers (NYC), which created the floral arrangements for the entire wedding party.

“I could not hold it in. I think I was nervous and scared. But as soon as the curtains opened, and I saw his face it was just like everything settled and I knew I was making the best decision of my life,” she told People magazine, which had exclusive access to the stars and their wedding photos and videos.

As for Nick, “the emotions were running high during the ceremonies”, especially during the Western wedding.

“You know you think your whole life about that moment. Honestly, I could not have imagined it would be as perfect as it was. It was highly emotional,” said the star of the former The Jonas

Brothers band.

For the Hindu wedding ceremony, Priyanka sported a deep red lehenga, choli and dupatta. She looked every bit the ‘desi’ bride with the chooda, kaleere and garland. Nick was dressed in a sherwani and a turban.

Twitter Tantrums

Swoon-worthy pics aside, Twitter had its own tantrums at the Priyanka-Nick wedding jamboree. It began with the mehendi ceremony, and was all about the synchronised fireworks outside the grand Umaid Bhawan Palace venue.

You see, only weeks ago, Priyanka Chopra had starred in a social media campaign for the reduced use of fireworks to bring down Diwali pollution, so that asthamatics like her and numerous others would not suffer.

Oh, the hypocrisy, cried Twitter - while waiting breathlessly for more pics to come forth from the wedding.

And as soon as they did, it kicked up another fuss – a horse and an elephant at the wedding? How could you, Priyanka? Band, baaja, brutality, blah blah.

Then the sanskaari types got on the band-baaja wagon: white wedding, kya bakwaas?

Meanwhile, fashion police types bakwaas-ed that “ridiculously long”, “football-field sized” veil, and carefullystaged overhead drone shot (smirk)

And then later, when the delirious bride sent out her own messages of bliss (“Just us @nickjonas”, “And forever starts now”, and “Once upon a fairytale…”), Twitter was all “awwwww….”, with a few hundred thousand likes.

All in a social media day’s work, eh?

AISHWARYA RAI: MY TAKE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

So Aishwarya was a late-comer to social media (yes, you know that, followers and closet followers that you are). Well, she told Conde Nast Traveller India recently that she took her tome ‘cos she felt put off by the fat that people see it as a “barometric reflection of your popularity or status”.

So far, she says, her social media journey has felt natural.

“I don’t post whatever happens through the course of the day because then it would become a job and then you’re constantly focusing only on the fruition of it, and not the actual experience. I need to be connected to my real life,” said Aishwarya.

Erm, wonder if Aish follows that prolific user, her respected father-in-law, on social media?

Anyway, what made her finally decide to take the plunge?

“The patience, prodding and perseverance of my well-wishers... I mean, it’s the way of the world; I get it. It’s (also) a business at the end of the day, but I didn’t want to get drawn into that entire world, the drama. That said, it’s a way of life, it’s the world in which our kids are growing up, it’s here to stay, and there’s nothing wrong with it.”

Sure you were not feeling left out a little, Aish?

DEEPVEER: WEDDING EUPHORIA CONTINUES

They called him the ‘boyfriend of the millennium’.

It looks like it’s a label the newly married Ranveer Singh doesn’t want to give up, since he now wants to be called ‘husband of the millennium’.

‘The millennium’ must be a very lucky girlfriend/wife, ha ha, sorry Deepika!

At the presser for the trailer launch of his upcoming film Simmba, the scribes were still treating him like the bridegroom (of the millennium?)

Has Deepika seen the trailer, he was asked.

Yes she has, he replied. “She said, Hot lag raha hai (It looks hot)”.

Of course he also did the politically correct thing for the moment, and acted as the fan of the millennium – of all the (bigger) celebrities on the film he was spruiking. It’s the done thing, baba

About director Rohit Shetty, Ranveer said, “I have been a huge fan of Rohit Shetty sir since the beginning. He has made some of the greatest commercial cinema that we have ever seen. Golmaal, Singham and Chennai Express are some of my favourite films of all time.”

As for sharing the screen space with the top-billed Ajay Devgn, Ranveer said it was a dream come true.

“I have grown up watching Ajay sir’s films. He is one of my favourite actors and my screen idols. He is a legend. Working with him was so refreshing and he is such a down-to-earth, grounded and chilled-out person. I had the most wonderful experience and (carry) fond memories in my heart forever.”

He concluded, “Being part of Simmba, being a part of Rohit Shetty sir’s world, collaborating with Ajay sir is really a dream come true for me.”

All the boxes ticked, shabaash dude.

Now, if only Simmba can get the

‘opening of the millennium’ on 28 December.

ANOTHER BIOPIC: COSMONAUT RAKESH

SHARMA

Mahesh Mathai, who is directing Saare Jahaan Se Achcha - a biopic on India’s first cosmonaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (retd) - says he is an inspiring Indian hero.

He was speaking at the unveiling of a painting of Sharma at the Russian Embassy in Delhi in early December.

Sharma flew on board a Soyuz spacecraft in 1984 as part of an Soviet Interkosmos mission. His daring flight fired up the imagination of an entire generation. When asked by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, what India looked like from space, Sharma had uttered the now iconic words, “Saare jahaan se achcha”.

Bollywood producers Ronnie Screwvala and Siddharth Roy Kapur are making the film on the real-life hero, with a superstar set to play Rakesh Sharma. Recently, Aamir Khan, who was earlier slated to be a part of the project, had let slip that Shah Rukh Khan would now be doing the role.

However, Kapur has said they will soon announce officially, the name of the actor who plays the cosmonaut.

On Twitter This Week

Match the stars to the tweet that follow Parineeti Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Tapsee Pannu, Priyanka Chopra

And forever starts now

After whirlwind like crazy weeks I am finally off to a work holiday. While I show my two beautiful gems of this year, ‘Mulk’ and ‘Manmarziyaan’ to the festival audience, I shall enjoy visiting the unticked cities of Marrakesh and Florence in my bucket list.

Hear #Simmba roar on the telly ! Watch the #SimmbaTrailer today.

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To all those speculating the joota hiding money - you know nothing!! All I can say is - you’re wrong!!!!! Haha. Nick was MORE THAN CRAZY HUGELY MADLY GENEROUS! No words. Still reeling. Phew. He shocked us. Whatta playa!!!

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