"Comfort is key on your wedding day. I wanted to have fun without feeling uncomfortable, so I wore sneakers with my lehenga,” says Bollywood star Rakul Preet Singh, who was in town recently to be the showstopper at designer Archana Kochhar’s show at International Fashion Week Dubai.
On the sidelines of the show, Rakul reflected on her signature blend of style and ease and said it is this ethos that was at the heart of her dream wedding to actor and producer Jackky Bhagnani on February 21 this year, a day that seamlessly married tradition with modern flair in the scenic backdrop of Goa, India.
The couple’s nuptials were a magnificent two-day affair, thoughtfully designed to honour both Sikh traditions and Sindhi customs.
The sartorial brilliance of renowned designer Tarun Tahiliani was on full display, ensuring the couple looked every bit the royalty they felt. If one of Rakul’s attire choices for her big day was a breathtaking pink peach lehenga adorned with dazzling diamonds, Jackky, in perfect harmony, donned an ivory chikankari sherwani intricately embellished with the ‘chinar’ motif.
Despite the grandeur, Rakul’s personal style was clearly shining through. Known for her laid-back, comfortable approach to fashion when it comes to her off-screen life, she emphasised, “My personal style is very basic and all about comfort. I’m a shorts and tee kind of girl.” True to her words, she embraced her wedding day with the same philosophy, pairing luxurious traditional attire with her stylish sneakers.
If the couple’s wedding attire elicited wows from the small, very personal gathering that included the duo’s close family and friends, it was perhaps the special gift Jackky presented Rakul that left the bride blushing with joy: a heartfelt song titled Bin Tere, written, composed, and sung by the actor-producer himself.
The star-studded yet intimate celebration was attended by several Bollywood stars including Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Shilpa Shetty, Arjun Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, and Esha Deol.
Rakul who made her big screen debut with the Kannada film Gilli, in 2009, went on to make a mark in Bollywood as well with Yaariyan in 2013. Best known for films like De De Pyaar De, Chhatriwali, Cuttputlli, and Runway 34, she is also a hugely popular star in South Indian cinema.
Jackky Bhagnani has acted in films including F.A.L.T.U, and Mitron, and has produced films like Bell Bottom, Mission Raniganj and Ganapath.
The couple made their relationship insta-official in 2021.
Excerpts from an interview with Rakul:
Tell us more about your’s and Jackky’s love story. When did you realise he’s the one for you? How, when, and where did he propose to you?
Rakul: Well, it was very organic for us. I think we became best friends before anything else and it was a very gradual process of falling in love. I don’t really know an exact time or a point when it [love] happened but I suppose you just know it [when it happens]. There’s… there’s never a particular moment. You just know that this is your best friend, your partner in crime. We felt a sort of comfort where we could just be our personal selves. And I think that’s when we realised that this is it. He proposed to me much later. In fact, I forced a proposal out of him; that happened on our bachelors trip.
Q: What were some main factors you kept in mind when deciding on the looks for each of your wedding functions?
Rakul: The most important factor for me was comfort. I wanted my wedding looks to reflect my personality - which is why I wore sneakers with all my lehengas and dresses. I wanted to have fun at my wedding without feeling uncomfortable or irritated. I aimed for a light, fuss-free, and enjoyable experience. A girl having fun on her own wedding day.
Q: How important was it for the two of you to complement each other at all the wedding ceremonies?
Rakul: It was very important. We had the same stylist to ensure that everything was in sync because the aesthetics of the wedding pictures mattered a lot. We were particular about the decor, our outfits… We even sent wardrobe planners to our guests well in advance. We wanted everything to look magical.
Q: Tell us the inspiration behind your refreshingly unique bridal lehenga. What inspired you to choose the pastel color palette and the unique applique work, embroidery, and embellishments?
Rakul: I’ve always been a fan of pastels. When I think of a lehenga, “ethereal” is what comes to mind, and
I believe nothing looks more ethereal than blush tones. I explored a lot of designers’ work and found a piece on Tarun [Tahiliani]’s page that I loved. I contacted him, and he was more than happy to create something for us. And I’m so glad that he came on board. He went out of his way to create the embellishments, flowers, and embroidery based on our brief. He made the perfect outfit for us, and we loved it.
Q: How involved were you in the making of your outfit?
Rakul: I was very involved. I flew to Delhi for a meeting with Tarun, gave him a brief, and selected pictures from the internet. I followed the process closely at every stage, as it took several weeks or months to prepare. It’s your wedding day outfit, so you want to love it. So yes, I was deeply involved as were the teams.
Q: What were some of the challenges you and the designer faced in creating this masterpiece?
Rakul: I didn’t face any challenges personally. We had a smooth journey because we were all on the same page. Whether it was Jacky, me, or Tarun, we worked seamlessly together. Other designers like Falguni and Shane [Peacock] for the sangeet, and Arpita [Mehta] for the mehendi did a beautiful job ; as did Papa Don’t Preach for Haldi; while Kunal Rawal designed Jackky’s outfit for mehendi. Every designer made a personal effort, which made everything look stunning and heartfelt.
Q: To look their best on their big day, brides put in a lot of hard work in terms of diet, exercise, hair, and skincare. Please share your regimen before your wedding.
Rakul: Well brides may put in a lot of hard work but as an actor I think that’s a daily routine- balanced eating and an exercise routine, and hair and skincare because you’re always in front of the camera. So I think there was nothing different for me. It was like just being my best self which I try to be everyday.
Q: What is your personal sense of style?
Rakul: My personal style is very basic and all about comfort. I prefer loose denims, shorts, and T-shirts. I’m a shorts and tee kind of girl, and don’t like to dress up too much when I’m not shooting. You’ll always see me in easy, comfortable clothes. I guess that comes from the fact that you’re so decked up all the time that you just want to be in your elements. I love pastel tones and pinks, but my outfits are always easy-breezy.
Q: If we were to raid your wardrobe, what are some of the staples we will always find?
Rakul: You will always find well-fitted denim in various styles – bootcut, baggy, and fitted. You’ll also find nice crisp white shirts and a classic black dress.
