Swara Bhasker, the actor, and Fahad Ahmad from Samajwadi Party have been providing glimpses of their recent pre-wedding functions. The couple recently underwent a court marriage, submitting their papers on January 6th under the Special Marriage Act. They have also celebrated various pre-wedding functions with their loved ones, including haldi, mehendi, and sangeet. In a recent interview, Swara and Fahad discussed their plans to incorporate wedding festivities that are common to both of their traditions.
Swara and Fahad said they were both ‘very conscious and proud’ of their identities as Hindu and Muslim, respectively. They spoke about how functions such as haldi, mehendi and sangeet happen in both Hindu and Muslim weddings. Swara and Fahad said that as an ‘interfaith couple that does not convert’ they could only marry in court, which they have done. With their wedding festivities they wanted to ‘build a common tradition of celebrations’.
Speaking about their wedding, the couple told Times of India in an interview, “We are both very conscious and proud of our identities and nobody wants to change anybody. We planned things that are common to both our traditions. Haldi is something that happens in both. It’s called ubtan in Muslims. Mehendi happens on both sides. Sangeet happens on both sides. In India, an interfaith couple that does not convert, can only get married in the court under the Special Marriage Act. That we have done. Now we are trying to build a common tradition of celebrations.”
During an interview, Swara Bhasker and Fahad Ahmad reminisced about the first time they met. While Fahad mentioned that he saw Swara in the movie “Raanjhanaa” (2013), Swara remembered their first interaction at a protest where Fahad helped fix the microphone for her. Fahad mentioned that he was impressed by Swara’s acting skills and did not know who she was at the time. He searched for her on Google and finally met her on December 19, 2019, at an anti-CAA protest organized at August Kranti Maidan. Someone suggested inviting Swara, who was known for her revolutionary views.
Swara recalled how she got lost when she arrived for the protest, saying ‘August Kranti Maidan is huge’. The actor said that after she somehow managed to reach the stage, she had no idea what Fahad looked like and was asking on the stage, ‘Fahad kaun hai (who is Fahad)?’ She said he was looking very hassled while fixing a mic when she finally met him. The two reportedly met again at another protest and soon became friends. Swara said they used to chat about politics as they had ‘similar values’.
More than a year after their first meeting, the two said they started talking to each other about their personal lives in 2021. Swara said that even though it never crossed her mind that there was something beyond friendship with Fahad, her friends started asking about him, and telling her that ‘this guy is in love with you’. Swara added that after enough needling from her friend, when she finally decided to ask Fahad what was their ‘scene’, he told her that he was ‘very fond’ of her. Swara recalled Fahad telling her to wait for a year-and-a-half, so he could become financially stable, and they could marry.
On February 16, Swara Bhasker announced her marriage plans with Fahad Ahmad on Twitter. She shared a timeline of their relationship as well. She shared their photos from a court and said they opted for a court marriage and submitted their papers on January 6 under the Special Marriage Act. The actor has been sharing photos and videos of their wedding festivities on Instagram and Twitter.
