When Rohit Raj Goyal and Deepika Singh met on the set of Diya Aur Baati Hum, it took some time for their relationship to warm up but when it did, the chemistry was crackling. In an exclusive chat with The Free Press Journal, she spills the beans on her beautiful love story with the director. Excerpts:
How and when did you meet your husband Rohit?
At Shashi Sumeet’s office for the look test of Diya Aur Baati Hum in Mumbai on May 5, 2011. It was also my first day in the city.
Who played Cupid?
I think it was the circumstances and the situations.
Did you like him instantly?
I was late for the audition, so everyone was a bit cold. I didn’t like him instantly. In fact, I would avoid talking to him. For me, he was an angry man. Later, I got a little popular because of the show, but I didn’t have a car to visit Siddhivinayak Temple. My creative team and I would ask him for a lift and then he would drop us at our respective homes and he would do so in spite of living in Malad. And to think that he never complained. Yet the next day, he was on the set before us.
What was the ice-breaker?
The trips we undertook to Siddhivinayak Temple every Tuesday.
Who took the initiative to fix a date?
Rohit.
Where did you guys go for your first date?
While returning from the temple, we went to a restaurant in Bandra. The restaurant is not there anymore.
Did he bring anything for you on your first date like flowers or chocolates?
No, since it wasn’t a planned date.
Who said I love you first?
I said I love you first on the phone.
What were the qualities that attracted you to him?
He is really good at his work. I am grateful to him for understanding my character Sandhya. He respects women and treats them like equals. His never-quit attitude, commitment and dedication towards his work was peerless. Once, he had had a high temperature and he was suffering from typhoid, but he came on the set because a very big track was being introduced in the show. When I saw him, my heart melted and my respect for him rose by leaps and bounds.
Who is more possessive between the two?
Neither of us. But if you were to compare, Rohit is relatively more possessive.
Who is the cleanliness freak between the two?
I am.
Who is the more short-tempered one between the two?
Neither of us is short-tempered.
Who is more romantic between you two?
Rohit is more romantic.
Would you guys fight during your courtship days? If yes, then who would say sorry first?
We would fight over trivial matters. For instance, I would want him to take me shopping or pester him to take a day off. Since we were secretive about our relationship, no one on the set was in the know, and that frustrated me all the more.
Who proposed marriage?
Rohit proposed marriage as I wanted to travel to Europe with him. He reasoned it would only be possible if we got married so I said, ‘Okay’.
Did you both face any opposition when you decided to marry?
Yes, a little bit but not much from my parents’ side.
How has your relationship changed since the time you were girlfriend-boyfriend to now being husband and wife?
We are more sorted. We fight less and we understand each other better.
What are the common interests you both share?
We enjoy the process of filmmaking and like watching movies. I am learning the Odissi form of dancing while he enjoys listening to music and visiting religious places. He prefers sleeping early and waking up early too. In fact, he wakes up before me to read the Bhagavad Gita.
How would you define love?
Love for me is loyalty.
