Men marry socially well-connected Women

The new age man is not hung up about his wife being more successful than him. In fact today's metrosexual male has no qualms about either marrying a woman more successful or socially well-connected than him. Take the case of debutant director Shirish Kunder, Bollywood choreographer cum director Farah Khan's hubby. From being a nobody he now gets to hang out with all the A-list stars thanks to his wife. Shirish even got to direct his first film Jaaneman after his marriage to her.

Another one who benefitted from his wedding is actor Fardeen Khan. He may be better known as a Bollywood star but Fardeen's social status skyrocketed after his marriage to the Madhwani heiress, Natasha. In yet another case, the Escort heir, Nikhil Nanda may come from an industrialist family but it is his wife Shweta who is better connected courtesy her superstar dad, Amitabh Bachchan. Actor Ajay Devgan too has benefited after his marriage to actress Kajol. They both get signed up as a package deal for popular ads and are acknowledged as a power couple.

In today's progressive society, many couples feel that marriage is all about vibing right. Says, socialite, Kaykasshan Patel, who is married to businessman Arif Patel, "My husband is proud of my achievements. He feels that my being in the limelight only enhances his image. His business success and my social popularity complement each other." Another successful woman echoes the same sentiment. Says TV actress Chavi Mittal, "In a relationship or marriage, who earns more or is more successful is of least concern, at least to me. Being an actor, I get more exposure in the media compared to my husband, Mohit Hussein who is a director. That does not mean our marriage would collapse. He is successful in his own line."

Experts say that mutual love is the most important thing and men want to marry the person with whom they vibe well with. In this scenario, a woman's higher social or economic status does not matter to them. Says, TV actress, Pooja Ghai Rawal, "People know me because I am an actress but name, fame, success and money are not permanent. I married Neeraj only because of love."

Companionship, support and communication are the new benchmarks for choosing a life partner. Jewellery designer Farah Ali Khan who is married to DJ Aqueel says, "Differences in social status would bother a couple only during a bad phase of their relationship. My husband is equaly well-known today." Experts opine that, marrying a well-placed woman provides a strong foothold for furthering a man's career. However, says, Dr. Gorav Gupta, Delhi based psychiatrist, "A man might find it advantageous to associate with a better-connected or more successful woman. If he marries her and stays in the marriage, it happens only if he genuinely loves her."