Just weeks before their wedding, actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal couple up on the cover of the September 2022 issue of Femina. Inspired by their love story and our collective love for weddings, the Wedding Special issue not only gives us a peek into the celebs’ much-awaited D-day in the last week of September but also celebrates the idea of enduring love and the joy of togetherness. With every photograph in the feature within the issue, Richa and Ali bring us closer to their journey as a couple and as artists.
Looking dazzling in ensembles that are only enhanced by their easy, affectionate chemistry, Richa and Ali open up about their relationship: one that is not balanced by any means, but one where they bring out the best in each other. It was not love at first sight. Ali, who had seen Richa in Gangs Of Wasseypur before meeting her on the sets of Fukrey, was already floored by her on-screen presence. Richa, too, had a different perception about him at the time, but, as they say, love happens when love happens. “I had always known him to be decent and respectful, but kinda naughty and also kinda nutty,” she reveals. “I could relate to his nutty side and I could also relate to the naughty side. Among the other boys in the group, I felt closest to him in terms of my mind, and I think that was the seed of it all.”
Talking to Femina about their long-awaited wedding, both share glimpses of how they met for the first time, the kind of ceremony they want, their idea of a perfect relationship, and the many delays that made them plan their wedding multiple times.
Sharing her thoughts about unrealistic notions about marriage and the tropes around it, Richa Chadha stated, “There are other things in the world apart from marriage that one needs to focus on. I would like to tell other girls who are reading this, who want to get married to the man of their choice – this is not the most important day of your life. This is a very important day in your life. It could be the most beautiful day of your life, for sure; it could be the most heart-warming day of your life, but don’t place unnecessary importance by saying that this defines you.”
Unveiling his deepest thoughts, Ali Fazal said, “I don’t think I can take you through my love story because it is one of the most beautiful personal journeys of my life, but I can tell you that it is a liking that is unmatched in the life that I have lived until now.”
Grab the latest issue of Femina – on stands and online now – to read more about Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s relationship as they dive deep into a new life together.