Tina Parakh's secret engagement

By: Upala KBR, Mid-Day
Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Tina Parakh (Mukti of Kasauti Zindagii Kay and Shruti of Kahaanii Ghar Ghar Kii) got secretly engaged on November 22 to Vikram Hazra, with the blessings of her guru Shri Shri Ravi Shankar.

Tina met her fiance five months ago. Hazra is the programming head of the International Art of Living. She tells us all about her secret engagement and her impending marriage in February next year.

How and where did you meet Vikram?
I have been associated with the Art of Living for the last couple of years, and Vikram is the programming head of the International Art of Living. We met at a satsang function where Vikram was the speaker five months ago. The event was held at Shanmukhananda Hall in Dadar. I was asked to introduce Vikram to the audience by one of the teachers. We met then and it's been wonderful, but I wanted to keep our relationship out of the media.

When did you fall in love?
Vikram travels all over the world because of his Art of Living commitments and every time he returned to Mumbai, he would message me. Over a period of time we realised that we had fallen in love with each other and so we decided to get married.

Apart from his job, Vikram is a fantastic singer and sings only devotional songs. He also plays the electric guitar extremely well. He's appeared on MTV and Sansara TV for satsangs many times and is very close to Shri Shri Raviji. I have a collection of his CDs.

What attracted you to Vikram?
He's very intelligent, well read and widely travelled. He speaks six languages, knows people from all walks of life, is very proud of what I do and accepts me for what I am, with my limited knowledge. When we met, neither of us knew the magnitude of each other's popularity, so you could says that we fell in love with each other rather than our images.

Why did you keep your engagement under wraps?
It was the most beautiful moment of my life. Guruji was in Mumbai to conduct the Shibir in Bandra between November 19 to 24.

On November 22, when Vikram and I met him, he gave us garlands and asked us to present it to each other. He also produced rings and made us exchange them. It was the biggest gift that Guruji could have given me.

Everything was so simply yet so beautifully done. I can never forget that moment. I kept it under wraps as I am very superstitious and believe in good and bad vibrations. I didn't want people to talk about it till the time was right.

When is the wedding?
It will be in the first week of February. We are still working out the date. We will have the wedding at the Art of Living ashram in Bangalore, after which there will be a reception in Mumbai. I have taken a month's leave from Balaji from the last week of January to plan out all the details.

What else are you doing besides Kahaani and Kasauti?
I'm hosting a Bollywood countdown show, Idea Ek Se Badkar Ek, produced by Contiloe Films. It will go on air very soon on Star One, and very I'm very excited about it!