Paresh Rawal is famous for his perfect comic timing, he has made people laugh with iconic roles in films like ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, ‘Chachi 420’, ‘Hera Pheri’, ‘Awara Paagal Deewana’, ‘Hungama’, ‘Garam Masala’, ‘Ready’, ‘OMG’ and many more.Born in Mumbai into a Gujarati family, Paresh always dreamt of becoming an actor. His love for acting and theatre not only shaped his career but also helped him meet the love of his life, Swaroop Sampat.A theatre festival that changed his lifeSwaroop Sampat met Paresh at an Indian National Theatre festival. She had just finished school and was handing out brochures at the event. Her father was the chief producer at the time. Paresh and his college friends were performing a play at the same event. The moment he saw Swaroop, he knew she was the one. In fact, he told his friend Mahendra Joshi then and there that he was going to marry her.Even when Mahendra warned him that Swaroop was their boss’ daughter, Paresh didn’t back off. In a past interview with Bollywood Bubble he said, “I was kind of ‘Yeh ladki meri wife banegi’. My friend Mahendra Joshi was with me. He told me, ‘Tujhe pata hai tu jis company mein kaam kar raha hai us boss ki beti hai woh’. Toh maine bola, ‘Kisi ki bhi beti ho, behen ho, ma ho, main iske saath shaadi karunga’.”A bold proposal and a clear mindParesh and Swaroop shared a love for theatre and acting, which brought them closer. While Swaroop was impressed by Paresh’s talent on stage, Paresh couldn’t take his eyes off her beauty. After a few months of dating, Paresh proposed to her in a very honest and straightforward way. Recalling his proposal, Paresh shared, “After 2-3 months, I told her, ‘I want to marry you but don’t tell me ‘let’s get to know each other, let’s grow together’. Marte dum tak koi kisiko nahi jaan sakta. Toh mere saath woh futile exercise mat karo. Commit yourself. But we got married after 12 years.”12 years of waiting and loveEven though Paresh proposed in 1975, the couple didn’t get married until 1987 — a whole 12 years later. The reason? Paresh wanted to focus on building his career before taking on the responsibility of marriage.Swaroop, too, was clear about her own values. She didn’t want to elope as she was the only daughter in her family, born after many years. She wanted her parents to be part of her big day.In an interview with The Free Press Journal, Swaroop shared that Paresh was always sure about marrying her. Since they were both Gujaratis, their families had no objections. Once Paresh’s career was settled, the couple tied the knot in a simple and intimate ceremony, marking the start of their lifelong journey.A happy ending with no family dramaSince both Paresh and Swaroop were Gujarati, their families had no issues with the relationship. Once Paresh’s career was stable, the couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in 1987. They went on to have two sons — Aditya Rawal and Aniruddh Rawal — and have lived a peaceful and loving life ever since. Their story shows that true love can wait, and sometimes, even a dramatic declaration like “Yeh ladki meri wife banegi” can come true with time, trust, and patience.
