Mumbai, September 28, 2024 – Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal opened up about their intimate wedding, offering a glimpse into the special day at CNN News18 Mumbai Townhall 2024 on Friday.
The couple discussed their decision to keep the ceremony low-key, surrounded only by close friends and family, and Sonakshi shared her uncontainable excitement.
When asked why they didn’t openly discuss their relationship or make public appearances as a couple, Sonakshi had a heartfelt response. “Nazar,” she quipped, hinting at the common belief of warding off negative energy. She went on to explain that being in the limelight as an actress often means that attention can divert from one’s work and legacy. “I feel it’s always better to keep private things private,” Sonakshi said.
“You’re already so much in the limelight; everybody knows everything about you. Something that is so dear to you should be kept for yourself.”
Reflecting on the overwhelming love they received after the wedding, Sonakshi admitted she hadn’t expected such a heartfelt reaction. “Honestly, no,” she said, recalling the days leading up to their big day. “There were so many mixed emotions and different things we were reading online. But we decided to drown out the noise and just focus on each other.” After dating for seven years, both Sonakshi and Zaheer were determined to celebrate their love without worrying about outside opinions. “We said, to hell with the world, and we’re going to celebrate our love,” Sonakshi said.
She described a beautiful shift that occurred once they were finally married. “The day we got married, I don’t know what shifted, but there was only love. Everyone there could see the love between us—our family, our friends. We wanted only the people who genuinely and truly love us to be there. Positive, positive, positive energy. And that’s what happened.”
One of the most touching moments was when Sonakshi’s excitement shone through as she signed the marriage papers. The session’s host fondly recalled how Sonakshi clapped her hands in childlike delight, a moment that clearly radiated her joy. “I was just more expressive,” Sonakshi said with a laugh. “I might have screeched in excitement and then realised, ‘It’s your wedding day!’”
Zaheer shared similar sentiments, explaining how both of them were filled with excitement as the moment finally arrived. “There was a sort of urgency—we just wanted to get married. We wanted to call each other husband and wife,” he said. “It’s been a very long time.”
Sonakshi reflected on how significant the moment was for him personally. “When you ask kids what they want to do, some will say they want to be an actor or a doctor. I used to say, I want to grow up and be married,” she revealed.
For Zaheer, the wedding represented the culmination of something he had dreamed about since childhood, and his excitement matched Sonakshi’s. “When I found the right person, and we were signing those papers, I was just ecstatic.”
Zaheer summed up their emotions perfectly. He said if anyone ever asks whether they should get married, he would show them the video of their wedding and say, “If you don’t feel like this when you’re signing the papers, then don’t get married!”
