Iqbal Khan’s ’forever’ girl

Love made its way

The duo first met during the shooting of Falguni Pathak's Teri Mein Prem Deewani music video, shot in Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad, in June 2000. It was during the train journey from Mumbai that the two were introduced. After the shoot, Khan headed for Delhi, where he was pursuing a degree in English Literature, while Sneha returned to Mumbai — without exchanging numbers.

Says Khan, "Trust me, there were no sparks flying from either side when we met. It was only three years later, when we spotted each other at Just Around The Corner, when I was awaiting the release of my film, Fun2sssh."

Confirms his lady love, "We couldn't recognise each other initially. I was sitting with my friends and raving about his good looks, until he approached me to say hello. This time, we exchanged numbers, met up at a friend's terrace on New Year's Eve… and the rest is history!"

Simplicity matters

Everything wasn't rosy at the outset. Like many newcomers, Khan has had to struggle with no work, no money and the burden of two flops (Fun2sssh, Bullet — Ek Dhamaka) to bear.

Says Khan, "Women would make passes at me, but I never had the time to stop and react. Many of them even thought my orientations were towards men. I was broke; whatever money I had of my own was over by then."

His honesty and simplicity appealed to Sneha, who said yes when he popped the question. "He has a very warm personality and I liked that. We started meeting frequently, and within two weeks, were completely overpowered with what we felt for each other."

Wedding plans

Now, marriage is on their minds. Says 25-year-old Khan, "I still remember travelling in BEST bus number 222 to reach Sneha's place. I had made it very clear that I had no money to pamper her, but now things have changed for the better, and by God's grace, I'm getting my dues. Now I've given myself three years — by then, I hope to have a big flat, a car and enough resources to lead a decent life."

Back home in Srinagar, Khan's elder brother Aman and his bhabhi are aware of his beloved, whereas Sneha's mother and cousins are waiting for the day when they tie the knot — but Khan's dad is still clueless. "I'm the youngest of my siblings and you can't expect me to inform my dad that I've found my girl," he says.

Made for each other

Sneha has already started looking after Iqbal's affairs — from household chores to paying bills, cooking (which she hated a year ago) and setting up Iqbal's flat in Versova.

"One thing that I would want to change about Iqbal is his eating habits. He has fallen ill because of eating out too much; he loves eating, so now I get him home-cooked food," she says. The couple has dealt with difficult times too. Three weeks ago, Sneha's father passed away, and Iqbal was with the bereaved family throughout.

sandipan.dalal@mid-day.com